Move Along
by zombiehuntersapprentice
Summary: Fang: Bad boy exchange student. Max: "Good girl" gone bad. One house. Two people. Well, five really. Not quite a plot yet. Humorish. T for language and possible violence. I like it! Finally, a title! Move Along All-American Rejects. Love the song or die.
1. I Might Have Just Flipped Off a God

Max POV

That ass hole! That egotistical jerk face! I called him several other words in my head, but since you probably don't know them, I'm not planning on being the one to tell you.

I stormed over to my truck, got in, and slammed the door behind me. I jammed the key into its hole (Alright, if you can make a joke out of that, I congratulate you, because you are up to my speed) and turned. The radio automatically blared alive, but I didn't pay any attention to it until I was on the road.

I then realized it was _country. _I can't stand country music, but I was afraid if I touched my precious radio I got the feeling I would break it. _That's _how mad I was.

I was fuming. I could feel steam coming out of my nose, and my fist around the steering wheel tightening until my whole hand was white.

Taylor Swift came on. Ugh. I hate her.

She was singing _Just Another Picture to Burn. _I smirked as I listened to the music.

_State the obvious, _

_I didn't_ _get_ _my perfect fantasy._

I guess I won't have to kill her since she did say 'state the obvious'. But still . . .

_I realized you loved yourself_

_More than you could ever love me_

More like you could love Lissa more . . . Ugh.

_So go and tell all your friends_

_That I'm obsessive and crazy,_

Well, he'd be right about the crazy part, but that's a story for another time.

_That's fine_

_I'll tell mine your gay_

Yeah. Nudge and Ella have always been gossipers. I used to hate that, but now I'm kinda happy about it.

_And by the way,_

_I hate that stupid old pickup truck,_

_You never let me drive_

Yes. I have the brand new truck, and his is old and crappy. No air conditioner. I'm gonna laugh so hard when he realizes how hot it can really get in Arizona.

_You're a redneck, heartbreak_

_Who's really bad at lying_

Redneck . . . no. Heartbreak? Yes. Lying? Worst I've _ever_ seen.

_So watch me strike a match_

_On all my wasted time_

_As far as I'm concerned, _

_You're just another picture to burn._

I tore the picture of the two of us from my sun-visor thing in my truck and pulled the lighter from my pocket, (how did Jeb not get this one? Oh, yeah, I had put it in my bra. Hee-hee.) still keeping one hand on the wheel. I lit it on fire and tossed it out the window.

_There's no time for tears_

_I'm sitting here planning my revenge_

Hells yeah. I was getting tired of the idiot. He was so stupid!

_There's nothing stopping me_

_From going out with all of your best friends_

Slow down there, girly. Maybe flirt a little bit, but not go out with all of them. Which magically reminds me of my new uniform. Another ugh, by yours truly.

_And if you come around here saying sorry to me_

_My daddy's going to show you how sorry you'll be_

No. Not Jeb. _Me. _Maybe I'll cut off his tongue, then his lips, then something else that makes me blush just thinking about it, then I'll just keep chopping and chopping and chopping . . . Oh, hello violent thoughts. It's been a while since you came for a visit.

_'Cause I hate that stupid old pickup truck,_

_That you never let me drive_

Yes, again. And a truck with no air. Oh, I'm just thinking about it.

_You're a redneck, heartbreak_

_Who's really bad at lying, yeah_

_So watch me strike a match on all my wasted time_

_As far as I'm concerned, _

_You're just another picture to burn._

_And if you're missing me_

_Keep it to yourself_

_'Cause coming around here would be bad for your health_

Chop, chop, chop, chop . . .

_'Cause I hate that stupid old pickup truck,_

_You never let me drive_

_You're a redneck, heartbreak_

_Who's really bad at lying, yeah_

_So watch me strike a match _

_On all my wasted time_

_In case you haven't heard, _

_I really, really, hate that stupid old pickup truck,_

_You never let me drive_

_You're redneck, heartbreak_

_Who's really bad at lying, yeah_

_So watch me strike a match_

_On all my wasted time_

_As far as I'm concerned,_

_You're just another picture to burn._

_Burn, burn, burn, baby burn._

_Just another picture to burn_

_Baby burn_

And the song ended, and I realized I had probably been sitting in my drive way for the past minute. How can someone who has no musical talent whatsoever write such a good song with an actual _point_? It's like Justin Bieber having so many Fangirls. It's just an impossibility. He must be brainwashing them.

I pulled my keys out of the truck and stuffed them into my purse. Yes, I, Maximum Ride, has a purse. It's black leather with little silver studs you see on some dog collars around the edges. I might be the perfect daughter, but at least I have good taste. Which reminds me: Why on earth am I having violent thoughts all of a sudden? I haven't punched anyone in ten years, since I was six. Something told me it was those little vitamins Jeb had been giving to me since I was, well, six. I stormed into the house and slammed the door behind me.

"Jeb! Where the Hell are you!" I screamed.

"Max," Iggy said from the living room couch. "He went pick up our exchange student."

Oh, yeah. I then proceeded to storm into the living room where I knew Gazzy and Iggy were. I pointed a finger at Gazzy. "Why the Hell did you change my radio station?"

"M-Max, w-why are you-" I cut him off.

"You know what!" I threw my hands up. "I don't want to here it!"

I stormed off, but not before hearing Iggy saying, "Don't worry, dude. She's just on her perio-"

"Iggy, I am not on my period!" I yelled. I walked through the the kitchen, down a hall, and to Jeb's bathroom. I opened the cabinet and looked through the many pill bottles. I found the one with my name on it, and read the label. Word I can't spell, too long a word to spell and probably never will learn to, something starting with a 'm', and my name. Ride, Maximum. In simple words: Behavior medicine. I let out a frustrated scream, and popped open the cap. I dumped the remaining pills into the toilet, and flushed. The pale little pills flew down the pipes, to the sewers, where they would be boiled and turned into whatever they are once you swallow them, and eaten by rats. Hope it helps them. I'm done being daddy's little girl, the teachers pet. It wasn't me. And it was hard not wanting to punch someone's lights out. So hard I had to take _pills. _And Jeb let me!No, _encouraged _me.

"Max?" Iggy called. "You ok?"

"I'm fine," I called back. I pulled a red Sharpie out of my pocket and drew 'ENOUGH' in big, bold letters that even Jeb could see with his old man eyes. Without his glasses. I put the empty pill bottle in the middle of the cabinet, the 'ENOUGH' facing me.

Looking at the pills reminded me of the song _Backbone _by There for Tomorrow. I had no idea Dylan was cheating on me, and half way believed him when he said he had to study. Eventually, though, I got suspicious. Like, a month after starting to date him. And a month later, here we are. He was secretly seeing the slut, Lissa. Well, they were more like friends with benefits. But, still, it's considered cheating. And I had no idea until today. And before that, I had no backbone due to those stupid pills. I got choked up as I remembered her. It was all my fault.

_No, Max, _my inner self scolded . . . myself. _Jeb put you on those pills, so he's the one who's at fault. Not you. _You're right, inner Confucius. Jeb put me on the pills, so its his fault. _I'm always right, outer Crazy Girl._ Crazy girl say what? This is where I say, "What?" Huh. Guess Confucius Max _was _right. Confucius Max: _*facepalm*__How on Earth does she get good grades? _

I closed the medicine cabinet and went up the spiral stairs that went straight to my all the fourth floor room, then pulled out scissors, my easel, sketch book, spray paint, normal paint, and manga pen things.

It's been a while since I drew something _I _wanted.

Fang POV

I sat in the front seat of Jeb's truck, my forehead pressed against the cool glass of the window.

Jeb kept on blabbering away, about his kids and how I'm just going to love them! Bleh. He had two sons, James and Zephyr, who were most likely jocks or players. He had a daughter named Max. She was probably just like all the other ones. Slutty, a whore, anything else you would like to add? Oh, yeah? Just contact me at so not telling you (at) haha (dot) net. Aren't I just hilarious? Yeah. I've been told I have a great sense of humor when I use it.

Before he had gone to a full description and personality identification of his kids, I had asked how many he had. Mom hadn't gone into detail, just telling me had a few kids and I'd probably fit right in. He hesitated, then answered, "Three," in a choked up voice like he was holding back tears. Men don't cry. Even men with a mustache like him. I mean, seriously? No one has those anymore, old man. Time to get your head out of your ass and see we're no longer living in the Old West.

I closed my eyes, letting every bump in the road absorb me until I was use to the pattern, it lulling me to sleep.

. . .

"Fang," Jeb said, shaking my shoulder gently.

"Hm?" I replied reluctantly, trying to sink back into the comfortable leather with the old car smell. I don't know how people love the new car smell so much. I think the old car smell is much better. Reminds me of fries, fast food, and sweat. Not as gross as it sounds. No, I did not ever eat that. It reminds me of home, which I won't see for several months. When you move from cool, chilly Colorado, to hot, humid Arizona you start getting homesick pretty fast.

"We're here," he said and opened the truck door. I groggily opened my eyes, and what I saw shocked me. I wasn't expecting a four story house. More like a small, cozy two story. That's what I live in. All the more reason for me to hate this place.

I hopped out of the truck, and grabbed my bags from the bed. Two duffel bags, and a carry on I had in the front seat with me. That's it.

Jeb led me to the house, which was white with green lining. It was pretty simple, except the whole four stories thing.

We walked into a small room, where Jeb told me to put my bags and we'd get them later.

"Kids! C'mon, Fang's here!" Jeb yelled.

"We can hear you, Jeb," a strawberry blond kid with glasses said and walked into the small room. "I'm Iggy."

His strawberry blond hair was dies blue at the tips, and he was wearing a white shirt and a pair of light, baggy jeans. His glasses were black, standing out from his wardrobe and skin. And his pale blue eyes.

We did the whole head nod thing, and a little kid about twelve walked in. "I'm Gazzy."

He had on camouflaged shorts, a green t-shirt, and a gray bandana around his neck. **(A/N: Don't doubt the bandana awesomeness! I think they're totally bad ass if you know how to wear them. Which I do.) **He was blond, with big, mischievous blue eyes.

"I don't want to know," I told him, putting my hands up.

"No, you probably don't," he said, grinning.

Jeb sighed. "Where's Max?"

Iggy shrugged. "Don't know. She came in here all pissed, stormed through the house, and went upstairs to her room a few hours ago."

Jeb sighed. "Max, c'mon!"

"I'm coming, asshole!" an angelic voice called. Well, I wasn't expecting _that _to be one of my thoughts.

Jeb had this look of complete shock all over his face. So did Iggy and Gazzy. Well, this wasn't normal, obviously. I almost laughed. But I don't laugh.

A girl with platinum blond hair came down from a flight of spiral stairs I hadn't seen before. Her hair was cropped short – probably just below her earlobes, which had one, two, three piercings – and was spiky, like she had done it herself. I wouldn't be surprised. She had on a black tank top that was splattered with a a bunch of different colors. Mostly dark, but bright compared with her shirt that hugged her curvy body. Moving on . . . she had on black skinny jeans that hugged her perfectly long legs. On her feet were a pair of mismatched ankle socks, one black and one purple. Around her neck was a dark silver locket with a pair of wings on the front. I wondered what was in the locket . . . And one thing really struck my attention.

She was beyond _gorgeous._

Max, I guess, studied me up and down. I thought today was over with surprises. But I guess I was wrong.

She flipped me the bird and turned around and headed back towards her set of spiral stairs. On her back, shoulder blade to shoulder blade – well, what I could see – was a pair of wings tattooed onto her back.

Max POV

"Max, c'mon!" Jeb the ass called upstairs after a few hours of just my art and music for company. Why couldn't it have stayed that way forever?

I pulled back my little door in the floor that I used as a door to my room and started down the stairs.

"I'm coming, asshole!" I called back and was completely serious. He was an asshole.

I got down to the edge of the spiral staircase, and jumped from the last step. What I saw shocked me. A boy a little taller than me – my eyes were about to his nose – with black hair and olive skin was waiting in the mini room. He was wearing all black clothing; black skinny jeans, black Three Days Grace t-shirt and a black leather jacket. And the worst thing: He might, just possibly, _may_be a god. He was beautiful. Even through the jacket you could see the muscles from his arms. Not huge, but not tiny, either. Normal.

Then, I flipped him off. Right now, I'm extremely pissed off at the male population. And it didn't help that I was the only girl in the family plus one.

He was shocked, to say the least. I turned around, and started to walk towards my stairs.

"Max!" Jeb yelled.

"What?" I snapped, not stopping.

Jeb waited a few seconds. "You have a tattoo?"

"Yeah, so?" This time I did stop. I knew he'd want an explanation.

"Well? What is it?"

"Angel," I said, my voice rough and harsh with unshed tears, and just loud enough so only he could hear me. He fell silent.

"Yeah," I said, starting to walk again. "That's what I thought."

I was almost completely upstairs again.

I heard Iggy say to, uh, Fang . . . I think. "Don't take it personally, dude. She's just on her-"

"Iggy! If you tell one more person I'm on my period I will personally kill you!"

I'm getting the feeling he believed me. It's just a feeling, but my feelings were right so far, weren't they? I'm gonna start trusting those feelings.

**~This is a line~Do you believe this is a line?~You don't, do you?~**

**There is no plot to this line**

**There is no line to this plot**

**This is just a lineless plot**

**This is just a plotless line**

**The world has no plot to it **

**So why should this?**

**Tank: What's up with the crappy and slightly emoish poetry?**

**Me: *shrugs* Don't know. Just wanted to get the point across . . . Think it worked?**

**Tank: Well, people don't usually read poetry, so I don't know.**

**Me: Well this was pretty straight on, so I hope they do. And, I was inspired by this song when I went to see my dad. My step mom had country on and boom! Inspiration! **

**JP: *yawn* I'm tired. Can we sleep now? Please?**

**Me: I guess . . . I'm getting kinda tired, too. That's why I'm not as crazy. Oh, and I forgot something. Disclaimer: Me don't own Three Days Grace, There for Tomorrow, or MR. Yet. You'll see you stupid converse, oh, you'll see . . .**

**Tank: She's officially lost it. Send her to the looney bin before she murders us.**

– **Sanity **


	2. I Didn't Know You Felt That Way!

**JP: I'm finally finished with Angel! Yes!**

**Me: *reads the ending out loud* 'And they all died. The End.' *throws book across the room* What the Hell kinda ending is that!**

**JP: Um . . . the rushed kind? You told me, and I quote, 'Hurry the Hell up so I can read the damned book!' And I did. **

**Me: As you're publisher, it's my job to put you on a deadline. **

**JP: But you're not my publisher . . .**

**Me: I am now. So get to work! Moving on. Tank is on a date with my newest OC, Skid! Yep, her name's Skid. She's only a head OC for now, but I'm thinking about putting her on paper soon. Maybe. Moving on. Again. Does anyone have any ideas for a name for this story? Anyone?**

**Disclaimer a la Sanity: If I owned MR, I wouldn't be on fanfiction and I wouldn't have kidnapped JP. J, if you give me the rights to MR, I'll give your freedom.**

**JP: You're lying. **

**Me: How do you always know that?**

**JP: It's my mad skills. **

**Me: *faceplam* Your ego is as big as Jeb's . . . read other story if you don't get it. **

* * *

Max POV

I stared at the floor length mirror in complete horror. This uniform was so revealing it made me want to gag. My school required me to wear a freaking _mini skirt_. My _school_. What has education gone to these days? I don't know.

Anyway, my uniform consisted on this: A dark brown, white, and pink plaid miniskirt that didn't even reach mid thigh, and some type of white dress shirt and tie. Mine was red. They let you accessorize as you like. Thank God, because this outfit needed the New Max touch. I attached some black suspenders with a red line in the middle - and they went to mid thigh. On the right leg, I added a small silver chain and put on my mini Sharpies with little silver loops in them on it. I pulled on my combat boots, and laced them up.

I had a small silver loop in each of my second ear piercings, and black studs in the others. I had a black leather band around my wrist with little round, silver suds around it and black and red rubber band bracelets on the other. My red tie was loose around the neck, and the white dress shirt was rolled up to my elbows. And, of course, my locket that had a picture of baby Angel and me in it.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and walked into my personal bathroom. I looked in the mirror and smirked at my hair.

"Seriously, Max," I told myself. "You did a pretty good job on your hair only using two mirrors for help." And I was completely serious. It had been how I wanted it to be. My bleach blond hair was probably just a centimeter away from my earlobe, and completely spiked the way I wanted it. I opened my medicine cabinet and pulled out a little bottle of hair gel. It's not like I had ever used it. As the perfect daughter, I had grown my hair out until it was almost at my waist.

And I now realized how much I had hated that hair. How it always got in the way. I still had my Bangs of Doom, but that was easy to push aside or whatever. And I will not turn into Justin Bieber, the brain washer. Nor will I become a Belieber. It's, like, against my religion. Thou shalt not worship false Gods. Whatever happened to that? I like that rule . . .

Anyway_, _I put some of the hair gel on the tips of my fingers and ran them through my hair, leaving it spiked even more. I liked the results. And, unfortunately, so would a lot of guys. I can't believe they made me wear this . . . Oh, well. It would make breaking up with Dylan even sweeter. No, I didn't brake up with him when I saw him and Lissa making out. But I should have,

I sighed and grabbed my messenger bag, which was green and purple. Two colors that I actually could stand. My messenger bag was dark green, with dark purple writing that said 'Airborn.' **(A/N: Expect a lot of that in this. Pretty much all of my styles are taken from Shojo Fashion or Snorg tees. I like manga, but can't draw worth a shit. And I don't own either of these. Sigh.) **

I slid back my door and started down the black spiral stairs. Ugh. Do they realize how much trouble this skirt is gonna cause me? At least we get to wear the shoes we want. I guess I should be grateful for Jeb being rich. But, then again, he did put me on pills, so I have the right to be pissed.

I finished walking down the stairs, and was in the mini waiting room when I smelt it. Iggy's jelly. It's a mixture of blackberry and strawberry, and it's probably the best stuff in the world, and I need some _now_. I sprung into the kitchen and inhaled deeply.

Fang was sitting on the counter, and I must admit he looked pretty damn good in a grayish greenish, lighter green, and dark brown plaid pants that cut off just below the knee, white dress shirt rolled up above the elbows, a long sleeved green undershirt, and - get this - combat boots. Guys didn't have to wear ties, which I don't get.

Iggy was sitting at the table with his feet on it, wearing long pants - the same as Fang's - green sweater with the white dress shirt collar showing, and gray and black shoes. If he wasn't my brother, he'd probably be what other girls would call 'hot'. Especially his girl friend . . .

Gazzy was was still in middle school, and they didn't have the same privileges as the high schoolers. he had the same pants as Iggy, but shorter for his height, gray jacket type thing, white dress shirt, green tie, and black dress shoes.

Jeb was in work clothes. It's so boring I'm not even gonna go into detail. White lab coat, black tie, and black pants. See? Boring.

Fang was practically drooling over me, and I was too busy drooling over the toast with the jam on it to smack him. Iggy, Gazzy, and Jeb stared at me wide-eyed, mouths slack. Iggy even dropped his toast.

I rolled my eyes. "You'd swear you never saw a girl before. Iggy, close your mouth. I don't want a fly to get in there and lay eggs in your half chewed food." He closed his mouth. He always has been a smart boy.

I walked over to the table and picked up a few pieces of toast and put some bacon onto my plate. I sat down on the counter away from Fang and dug in with my fingers. I never saw what was wrong with eating with your fingers. We ate in silence until Gazzy let one of his 'gifts' loose.

"Ah, c'mon, man," Iggy said between coughs. "I'm eating here!"

Gazzy shrugged and bit into his last piece of toast. I burped and dumped my plate into the sink.

I went to my bathroom - again - and brushed my teeth. When I was back downstairs, Jeb gave us 'the talk.' No, not the sex talk. We had that years ago.

"Be good. Iggy, Gazzy, don't blow anything up. Fang, er, try not to kill anyone," he said.

Fang smirked, and said, "Yeah, sure."

I gasped. "It speaks!"

Jeb rolled his eyes. "Max, you have all of your classes with Fang." I scowled. "Wait here. I'll be right back."

Once Jeb was moving down the hall, I said, "Let's move." Sure, I wanted to see his reaction to the pill bottle, but I hadn't come up with anything to say.

"But didn't Jeb say to wait?" Gazzy asked.

"Yeah, so?" I asked, slinging my bag over my shoulder.

Iggy and Gazzy both gave me looks like I had grown wings. Yeah, right.

"What a great roll model you are," Fang said, rolling his eyes.

I grinned and made my way over to the door. "Yep. I'm the best."

I opened the door and walked across the porch and hopped down the stairs. Ugh. Stupid skirt. I pulled it down a little. That didn't help any because then my underwear showed. I sighed and pulled it up. Then more of my leg showed.

"AH! This is impossible!" I screamed out.

Iggy was chuckling, Gazzy was laughing, and Fang smirked. I slapped Iggy across the head, glared at Gazzy, and glared at Fang. Wow, it's been a long time since I glared.

"Max!" Jeb yelled from the house.

I ran over to my truck and got in the driver's side. "C'mon, get in the truck, dummy," I said to Iggy.

He did and Gazzy got in the back and Fang got the other window seat so Iggy was in the middle.

"Dummy?" Fang asked. "What? Are we in first grade again?"

"Yep," I replied. "You're dummy and I have cooties, so stay away."

Iggy laughed, and so did Gazzy. Fang glared at me, and I smiled. We stuck around the house long enough to see Jeb open the door.

* * *

"I am never riding with you ever again!" Gazzy said, almost falling out of the truck.

"Oh, c'mon!" I said. "It wasn't that bad!"

Gazzy stared at me in horror. "Wasn't that bad! Are you nuts? Wait, don't answer that. We're the first people here!"

"No," Ella's voice said from behind me. "We are!"

I turned around and saw Ella. She was wearing the same skirt and dress shirt as me, but her shirt was down to her wrists. She had a gray and pink vest on, black flats, and white knee highs. Her dark brown, wavy hair was just past her shoulders and perfect, as always.

She hugged me, and I hugged her back. When she pulled away, she said, "Ah! Look at your hair! It's so cool!"

"I know!" Nudge said, magically appearing beside Ella. "OMG, look at your outfit. It's awesome! Did you really do that yourself? It's like punk mixed with Barbie! AH, Max I'm so happy to see you again!" She tackled me into a hug, ending her own rant.

"Hey, ha ha, Nudge. Good to, ha, see you too," I said between laughs. When she pulled back I saw what she was wearing. Same skirt and shirt, pink sweater vest, light pink thigh high socks, and dark brown flats. Her unruly curly hair was pulled back into a thick, high ponytail with a few ringlet locks framing her mocha face and caramel eyes.

She turned all of her attention to her boyfriend. "Hey, Iggy!"

"Hey, baby," he said and wrapped his arms around her waist. She wrapped her arms around his neck and they kissed. It turned into a full make out session. Gross.

"Ugh," I said. "Get a room."

"I'd say the same for you and Dylan," Iggy said, pulling away from Nudge reluctantly.

I scoffed. "Well you won't have to worry about that anymore. I'm breaking up with him today."

Ella gasped. "Why? You two were perfect together!"

"He was cheating on me," I said.

"Oh."

An uncomfortable silence followed until Fang coughed.

"Oh, yeah," I said. "Guys, this is Fang."

Ella was first. "Hi! I'm Ella Martinez, and Max's friend!" She stuck her hand out, and Fang raised an eyebrow. She shrugged and came back to my side.

"Hi! I'm Nudge Martinez! I was adopted and now I'm Ella's sister! But you probably already knew that since I just said my name was Nudge Martinez. Oh, what kinda name is Fang? Is that a nickname or is it your real name? It's kinda like Max's real name is Maximum but everyone just calls her Max bacause Maximum is a really long name. So? Is your name a nickname or what? Oh-" I slapped my hand over Nudge's mouth because she wouldn't stop till she fainted. It happened once. She was not a happy camper when she woke up in the hospital.

"No, my name isn't really Fang. It's Nick," he replied.

"C'mon, Nick," I said, using his real name. "Let's go get your schedule. Gazzy, don't blow anything up. Iggy, same goes for you."

"Yes, mother," Iggy replied, rolling his eyes.

Jolly St. Nicholas glared at me, but came along anyway. "Don't call me Nick."

"Oh, fine, Fang. But did you have to ruin the fun?" I asked him, walking into the school building.

He rolled his eyes and we went to the office.

"Hey, J.J," I said, putting my arms on the counter.

She looked up and her jaw dropped. "Max?"

"No, it's Maxine. Max's evil twin." I rolled my eyes. "Yes its me, stupid!"

She chuckled. "You cut your hair. It looks good. Like the new style, too."

Let me explain: J.J helps out around school. Her mom's obsessed with her going to college so she's out of her hair. J.J does this stuff for college credit. J.J and I are friendly, never really have been friends. More like acquaintances. But, still, we're nice to each other and we say high in the halls.

"Who's this?" J.J asked, eyes turning to Fang.

"Nick Harrison," Fang said. Harrison? Such a funny name . . _. Oh, yeah, you're one to talk, Maximum Ride_, inner Confucius Max scolded outer Crazy Max. Touche, Confucius Max.

"Max?" J.J said, waving her hand in front of my face. "Hello? Anybody home?"

I slapped her hand away. "Stop that. What?"

"Fang has his schedule and locker number. It's next to yours."

Oh, that's just great! Not. "Oh. Alright, Fang. Let's go." By now, the halls had filled up with all the kids. And Dylan was with his friends by his locker, probably.

We walked out of the office, and the whispers started."OMG, are they new?" "That girl looks familiar." "He is so hawt!" "Are they together?" "Are they related?" "I heard he got kicked out of his old school." "That girl looks scary." "Man, she's hot!"_ That _one was from Dylan himself. He actually got the nerve to walk up to me. How did he not recognize me? Idiot.

"Hey baby," he said, putting an arm around my shoulder. "Wanna go out?"

I clenched my hands into fists, trying not to punch him. Instead, I ignored him. If he didn't remove his arm in three seconds, he probably won't be able to use it for the next two weeks. I mean, c'mon! Is he that stupid? I'm his girlfriend and he's asking me out!

"Ah, c'mon." His hand started to move down my back and I had enough. I grabbed it and twisted it around so it was pressed against his back. I pulled his hand, and he cried out in pain.

"Dylan," I said. "We're over." I pushed him forward and he landed on his arm, causing him to cry out in pain again.

"M-Max?" he stuttered, rolling onto his butt, cradling his arm.

I rolled my eyes. "No, it's Lissa."

His eyes widened. "M-Max, I-I-"

"Bye, Dylan." I walked past him with Fang following me.

On the other side of the school, we're at our lockers and guess who's waiting for me? No, not Santa Clause telling me I've been a bad girl. Lissa.

"Hey, Maxie!" she piped.

"What?" I spat.

She pouted. "I thought we'd walk to class together, like we always do."

Let me explain. Again: Lissa thinks we're friends. I use to think that too, but friends don't try to steal the others boyfriends and succeed at doing so. We walked to class together every day with Nudge and Ella.

"No," I hissed and she went into full bitch mode.

"Ya know, Max, I never realized how butch your name is until now," she said, smirking triumphantly like she had just won the grand prize of Dylan. Psh. She could have him.

The whole hall was silent. Popular Lissa battling scary Max. The ultimate smack down.

"Ya know, Lissa, I never realized how bitch your name is until now," I replied in the same prissy tone.

"F-k you, Max."

"Lissa!" I exclaimed. "I didn't know you felt that way! I thought you liked guys!"

She let out a frustrated scream, and her face was as red as her hair, which was pretty damn red. She stormed past me, and her hands found Fang's leg. She brushed her fingers over it, and continued her way down the hall.

"Whore!" I called after her.

"Man," Fang said. "I didn't know girls could be that mean. Aren't they supposed to be made of sugar, spice and everything nice?"

"Psh. Yeah, right."

* * *

_Angel giggled as I tickled her tummy. We were on our way back from school. Well, I was. She was coming from pre-school. _

_"Max!" she giggled out. "Stop it!"_

_"Oh, alright," I said and grabbed her hand. We continued to walk down the side walk, my hand in hers. She was tall for five, and so was I too, so my arm was long. Not for five, but for thirteen. _

_Suddenly, a black van skidded to a stop right beside us and two men with guns and ski masks over their heads came out of the back. _

_One pointed a gun at me, and the other walked straight at Angel. He grabbed her wrists and pulled her away from me._

_"ANGEL!" I yelled, trying to move forward, but the guy with the gun moved forward, too, until the gun was practically on my head. _

_"Move, and I kill you," he said. His voice was rough and deep._

_"Max!" Angel yelled. She was screaming and kicking and crying with all her might. _

_"Do something!" the man who had Angel screamed. _

_"You heard him," my gun man hissed. _

_"Shh, shh, honey. It's ok, alright?"_

_She still didn't stop crying, but she did stop thrashing around. Where were all the people? Someone had to help!_

_"Max!"_

_"Angel, shh, shh. I love you, sweetie"_

_She sniffled. "I love you too, Max."_

I woke up with a start. Tears welled up in my eyes, and I hugged my legs to my chest. I haven't had that dream in a while . . .

_Something must be going on, _mused Inner Confucius.

Shut up, Confucius. Right now isn't a good time.

I started to rock back and forth, making soothing noises to myself. I clutched the locket in my hand, and small, silent tears streamed down my face. I decided to do for a run. Yes, it's five-thirty in the morning. But running always seems to calm me down. I got out of my bed and put on a dark blue spaghetti strap shirt, and a pair of black shorts that went about mid thigh. I pulled on gray tennis shoes and was about to pull my hair back when I remembered there was no hair to pull back. God, I love this hair. I pulled my iPod from it's spot on my desk and attached it to the arms band thing.

I went downstairs and was eternally grateful that I had a set of stairs right by the door. I slowly opened it and slipped through, leaving the house like I was had never even woken up. I put on the iPod and _Brick by Boring Brick _by Paramore started to play. I jogged down the road, passing huge houses on my way. It's chilly in Arizona at night . . .

I was in town soon. My jog is people's run. I slowed down, little bit by bit, until I was walking again. I stopped at a lamp post that was lit up. The Missing sign was worn and tattered, but still there. _Angel Ride. Last seen three years ago. She would now be eight years old. _And a picture of Angel. Five year old Angel with platinum blond hair going down her back, with the biggest blue eyes you've ever seen. It be hard to do anything terrible to that little girl. Let's hope criminals know that.

Angel was the spitting image of me, besides our eyes. Her's were blue as the sea, mine were brown as unbarfed chocolate. I'm a lucky girl, aren't I? I chuckled at my own stupid joke.

I started to jog my way back to the house, and made it there without problems. I was being lazy and decided to take my shower down stairs.

Fang POV

_Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding_- I slammed my fist down onto the alarm clock. Six thirty already? I groaned and tried to get up off of the bed, but only managed to roll myself off. I groaned and pulled myself onto my elbows. I then managed to get on my feet and grabbed my stuff from the dresser. I walked out the room, my eyes barely open and to the bathroom.

Then my eyes practically bug out my skull. Max is standing in the bathroom, her shirt off, and her back to me.

"What?" she snapped.

I siad quickly and get out of there as fast as possible.

What I didn't get was what was tattooed on her back. A pair of wings, and inside those wings was a date: 7/13/7.

* * *

**Oh, aren't I just the little devil?**

**JP: Uh-huh. *write, write, write***

**Me: Is this ending gonna be any better than the other?**

**JP: Uh-huh. *write,write, write***

**Me: Are you gonna give me the MR rights?**

**JP: Nuh-uh.**

**Me: Dammit!**

**- Sanity**


	3. Highway to Hell

****

Tank: *sighs wistfully*

**Me: Since when do you sigh wistfully? And since when do I use the word 'wistfully'? Dammit! I need to stop.**

**Tank: I think I'm in love . . .**

**Me: Oh, no. Not you too. First, I start to loose JP in his work, now I'm loosing you to Skid! AH! I'm gonna die lonely with only a cat for company!**

**Tank: *snaps out his Skid induced trance when getting the chance to insult me in some way. Ass.* Not if you don't get off of fanfiction. You're up at all Godly hours of the night! **

**Me: Speaking of Godly, didn't Fang look hot in the previous chapter?**

**Tank: . . . I'm a guy, remember?**

**Skid: *appears on my out of nowhere (Ok, someone seriously needs to start answering that damn question: Where. Do. They. Come. From?)* AH! I know!**

**Tank: I'm losing my woman! To a goth!**

**Skid: One, sexist pig! Two, I still love you. And three, I thought he was emo.**

**Me: Eh. Emo is _so _overrated. **

**Disclaimer with de help of Skid: S: So . . . bored. M: I . . . know. I'm dying from fun deprivation! And this damn disclaimer isn't helping anything! S: Let's do something . . . M: Write, perhaps? S: Yes! Something fun. In simple words, we ain't owning nothing till JP caves. **

**

* * *

**Max POV

He f-king walked in on me. While I was _changing_. Thank God I still had my shorts on.

"What?" I snapped.

He said a quick, "Nothing." Before getting the Hell outta there. Man, aren't I surrounded by smart peoples?

I turned on the shower, stripped down, and got in, letting the hot water pound on my back.

What _exactly _had he seen? The second the door creaked open, my back was turned, but still . . .

My head started to hurt from all the thinking I was doing, so I stopped and ran a hand through my hair. I decided I was gonna pretend it didn't happen. I went for a run, came home, took a shower, and got dressed. Uniform . . . crap. I still have to wear that stupid skirt. Why does God hate me so? Why, God, WHY?

The water was decreasing in temperature and I sighed out a puff of air. I turned off the water and changed back into my running clothes. I wasn't going out in a towel or naked as a jaybird, so I'd have to deal with sweaty running clothes. Oh, the horror! The horror!

I walked out of the bath and on my way down the hall, knocked on Fang's door. "Showers free, dude."

He came out of his room just when I was at the end of the hall and walked to the bathroom without a single word. Must have come to the same conclusion as me.

I passed the kitchen, which had Jeb and Iggy in it.

"Max," Jeb said. "Prescriptions can be refilled."

"And pills can be flushed down toilets again," I told him and walked to my stairs.

I climbed the stairs and thought about the reason I was on those pills in the first place . . . ya know what, I don't even - wait. Yeah, I do.

_Flashback_

_Brigid and I were on the playground at the elementary school, on the little ship type thing that had a slide going down it. Brigid was standing on the edge of the slide, and I was right beside her. _

_We were watching Iggy, who was on the swings, insisting that when he jumped off, he would fly. "You'll see!" he yelled and jumped off. He didn't fly, because he wasn't part bird, nor did he have superpowers. Dummy. _

_"Iggy!" I yelled. He groaned, and rolled over. I don't think arms are supposed to bend that way. _

_"You're brother is so stupid," Brigid said in her nasally tone. _

_"WHAT did you just say?" I asked, furious. Sure, I had called him a dummy, but that was my job as his twin. We had even had a conversation about it._

_"You heard me," she said and flipped her hair behind her shoulder. Who knew six year olds had attitudes? "He just broke his arm, saying he would fly."_

_"You're gonna fly if you don't shut up," I said, venom lacing my words._

_I got the satisfaction of seeing her wince. But that didn't last long. "Oh, I'm shaking in my flip-flops."_

_I had enough. I pushed her down the slide, and she screamed. She landed on her arm, and I was glad to see it was in a worse angle than Iggy's. I jumped off the ship and ran over to Iggy._

_For the next month, I was picked on by all of the kinder-gardeners, even some of the first and second graders. They usually didn't leave my presence without something being broken. Then, after a month of getting into fights, Jeb put me on the "vitamins", which ended my violent tirade. _

_End Flashback_

I chuckled at the memory. I was one badass little girl, that's for sure. And I'm still a badass teenager. I sighed and picked up the skirt and dress shirt. Took off my other clothes, and buttoned up the dress shirt, and pulled up the skirt. Ugh. This thing is getting on my nerves. I put on a gray sweatervest and rolled the dress shirt above my elbows. Put on a pair of brown and muddy pink gloves that stopped just aftermysecond knuckle that I had borrowed from Nudge with a braided dark sliver ring around my left index finger, and big, thick framed black glasses. And, of course, the combat boots. All and all, I looked pretty badass.

I did my hair, so it was sticking out in general directions, my bangs covering my left eye behind the glasses. I smirked into my reflection, and the girl smirked back. I brushed my teethand doody-da. I'm not gonna bore you with the boring stuff. Did I _really _just think that? God.

* * *

School. Thee most boring thing on the planet. What's even more boring is Mrs. Roz pr-o-nou-nces ev-er-ee le-tt-e-r. I hope how you can see how that could get annoying. Especially when you're in freaking English. Dammit, Roz, could you talk like a normal person for once?

And then the bell rang, I packed my stuff ASAP, and practically ran out of the class. Lunch was next. The one place that school _wasn't _boring. F: Hello, is this Max? M: Yes, and who is this? F: Oh, this is Food. Would you like to order a subscription of food lunchly? M: Why, yes, Food, I would very much like that. Ha ha. Aren't I hilarious?

I stuffed my books into the locker and replaced that with new ones. Sigh. The damn bag just keeps getting even heavier. Next I have PE, Algebra whatever, and art.

You'd think I liked art, but I don't. Ya know how art's supposed to be about expressing yourself and being free and not planning anything, just letting inspiration come to you? Yeah, well, that's not how Dean sees it. It's all 'Draw this' or 'Draw that.' He's actually the basketball coach but due to cut backs, he's also the art teacher, and we're supposed to call him 'Coach' but I call him Dean. I don't even know his real name, but Dean seems good enough. Bob is just _so _over done.

I waited in line, tray in hand for Food Lunchly when Lissa walked up to me. Oh, yay! Ya think she's gonna apologize and ask if we could be BFFFFF . . . Fs forever! Yeah, right. Like that's gonna happen. That's about as likely as me getting wings.

"Max," she stated sadly. I raised an eyebrow at her and put a Coke on my tray. "I wanted to apologize."

"Huh?" I was completely shocked. I almost choked on air. Alright, so maybe she didn't say the _exact _thing I had been thinking, but it's close enough. Maybe I'll have wings tomorrow morning.

She rolled her eyes and started to talk slowly, like _I _was the moron, "I . . wanted . . . to say . . . that I'm . . . sorry. I was really out of line . . ." she continued talking like I was listening, but really I was shaking the Coke behind my back. "So . . . do you accept?"

"Oh, Lissa!" I said in an over excited voice and a huge smile. "Of course." I dropped the smile. "Not." I opened the coke in her direction and the brown drink sprayed all over her white dress shirt. She looked down at her ruined shirt in horror, her mouth a perfect 'O' and her hands sprouting off to the sides.

"AH!" she screamed. "Maximum Ride, you'll pay for that!" And she stomped off. Ugh. Drama queen. Can't live with them, can't live without them. Oh, wait, you can!

I shrugged and put a Root Beer on my tray. I really wasn't in the mood for Coke anyway . . .

I paid for my lunch and went sit at the table with everyone else. It was off to the side, far away from other people. It's perfect for the claustrophobic kinda girl you know and love. Well, maybe not love, but still.

I sat down next to Ella, and Nudge was next to me. Iggy, Fang, and Sam on the other side. Sam was pretty cool. He was nice and kinda cute. But blonds aren't my type. I prefer guy's with dark hair, dark eyes, tanned skin, muscular and - wait. Did I just describe _Fang_? I started to blush furiously, and, unfortunetly, Ella noticed.

"Max? Are you blushing? Oh my gawd, she's blushing! Max doesn't blush!" She screeched. Yeah, I love Ella, she's like my sister. But her little mini rant didn't help anything and only made me blush harder.

"What?" Nudge practically screamed and looked at me. "AH! She is! I bet she was thinking about a guy! And speaking about guys, I can't believe homecoming is just two weeks away! This is so exciting! Max, who were you thinking about? Are you gonna ask him to Homecoming? Are ya? OH, ya know what this means, do ya, do ya, do ya? It means we get to go shopping! Ah! I'm excited all over again! I think I want a pink dress and-" she was cut off by my glare. I love Nudge, Nudge is a great kid, but that motor mouth of hers could turn Mother Theresa into an axe murderer. Which I was about to become as red as the blood on that axe if she asked one more time who I was thinking about. If anyone asked me that, I might turn into Max the Axe murderer.

Iggy wiggled his eyebrows. "So . . . Max. Who were you thinking about?"

"Spongebob," I replied.

We all burst out laughing. Fang chuckled, but I guess that counts.

"Oh, and Nudge," I said, "I'm not going shopping."

"Yes, you are," she and Ella said, grinning wickedly.

Oh, let the torture begin.

* * *

Early Saturday Morning

Fang POV

I sat on the counter, eating a bowl of Reeses cereal. Iggy was on a weekend strike, saying, "You want food that bad, cook it yourself." And Jeb said we didn't want to burn the house down, and I agreed because I burn toast. When the toasters set on a minute. How, I ask you, HOW?

I heard a yawn and looked up. Max was stanging in the doorway, scratching her stomach. And she was still absolutely gorgeous. She had light blue shorts, a dark shirt withone shoulder completely exposed with a yellow square with what looked like two octopus tentacles going together and making a heart, with a little red heart in the middle. She had yellow and white striped furry socks, and he hair was a complete mess, yet she still looked hot. **(A/N: This style belongs to Irene Flores, and the octopus thing to C.F.U.D.) **How, I ask you, HOW?

I started to glare at my cereal, until Max chuckled. "Trying to be a cereal killer, Fang?"

I looked up and saw she was right next to me, opening the cabinet and taking out a bowl and and cereal. Reeses, I see. She has good taste.

"Yep, and you're next on my list of victims," I told her. She rolled her eyes and groggily poured her cereal, poured the milk, and thumped her way over to the table.

We ate in a comfortable silence until someone bursts through the doors and yelled, "Max, time to go!"

Max groaned ever so quietly (not) and Ella and Nudge made their way into the kitchen. "Hey, Max! Ready to go shopping?" Ella asked cheerfully.

She grunted as a reply.

"Hello, girls," Jeb said, not looking up from his paper.

"Hiya, Jeb!" Nudge said. Here we go. "I see you're reading the paper. My dad said these people got arrested because they were performing illegal expiriments on humans. That's so sick! The head scientist's name was Roland ter Borcth or something like that. Funny name. He thought it was a typo, but I looked it up, and he's real! He was supposed to be in a place called 'institutefor the incurables.' I wonder what it's like to be carzy, ya know, incurably-"

"I'm gonna be incurably crazy if you don't shut up," Max said.

Nudge shut up and stuck her tongue out at Max.

"Uh-huh, that's nice, Nudge," Jeb said, not evenlooking up from his paper. Wonder if he's reading some Old Western tale with people who had mustaches were considered cool.

"Max!" Ella yelled in outrage. "You're not even dressed yet!"

"No, I'm not," Max said. "I'm naked as a baby."

I blushed a little. Thanks for that, Max. Seriously. I needed that picture in my brain to taunt me. The picture I would never see.

Max POV

"I meant in clothes that you didn't sleep in, Max," Ella said.

I sighed. "Guess I could put on some jeans and a shirt."

Ella smiled and said, "You have five minutes or we're leaving without you."

"Ah! I'm gonna die if you leave for the mall without me!"

She giggled. "Go and get dressed."

I sighed and dumped my bowl into the sink. "Oh, alright."

I was in my room and I dressed in a long sleeve blue hooded shirt with light blue letters that said 'Airborn' on it, the letters big so it covered most of the shirt. The hood was laced together at the top with a black shoelace type thing and on the sleeves were holes for my pinky fingers and thumbs. I had black skinny jeans and black converse with blue laces. My hair was spiked, surprise, surprise, and I had my dark silver locket. I barely ever do anything with out it, unless I'm swimming.

I went down the stairs and said, "Let's get this over with already."

We got into my truck and were on the highway to Hell.

* * *

"How 'bout this?" Nudge asked, holding up a blue dress.

"No."

"This?" Ella held up a purple dress.

I shook my head.

This had been going on for ages. They'd ask my opinion, I'd say no, nope, Hell no, no way in Hell, and even if I had wings and could fly at three hundred and fifty mi/ph would I _ever _wear that dress. Ever.

Ella and Nudge had already gotten their dresses already. Ella had gotten a pink dress with little bead bitterflies on it in purple, with purple shoes and some accessories. The dress stopped a few inches before the knee.

Nudge had gotten a strapless dress that started as orange, and faded to yellow that looked like the sunset, that went to the knee and orange heels that matched the top of the dress. Accessories, etc. etc. It really matched her skin tone.

I was the only one left. I was about to say it was hopeless and that I wasn't going, which I really didn't want to, until Ella popped up with the perfect dress.

"This?"

"Hell ya."

"Ya know what this means . . . " Nudge trailed off, and I knew exactly what she meant. We were going to The Feminine Church. Victoria's Secret.

I don't get why they call it that. It's not much of a secret. And in case you didn't know, they sell underwear!

_Shh . . . it's a secret, _Confucius Max said.

Did you now hear anything I just said?

_No, I heard all of it. I just have selective hearing._

Or is it selective understanding when your brain decides it doesn't get it?

_My brain is your brain, Maxie._

Touche, Confucius, Touche_. _

I hadn't noticed we were at the horrid place already. Oh, pink, how I hate you so . . .

"C'mon, Max!" Ella grabbed my hand and dragged me into the store.

I groaned as they dragged me through the underwear and bras until we were at the strapless. I picked a bra at random, and looked at it. Pink. Bleh. Another, same results. Another, same results. AH! When will the torture end? Finally, _finally_, I picked a black one with skulls on it, it looked like it would fit, and bought it.

"Let's get out of here," I said and half dragged half walked the girls out.

* * *

Angel POV

I sat on the roof of the orphanage and looked up at the stars. I was only five years old. I don't even remembered how I had gotten here. All I remember is some big buys with guns took me from Max.

Max . . . I don't blame Max. They would have killed her if she had tried to save me. I'm absolutely positive she had called the cops. She wouldn't have just left me like that.

I knew I wasn't in Arizona any more. I was in Washington. But I also knew I'd be going to Arizona soon. A new foster home, in some small city in Arizona. Where my family was. Where Max was. Where my mother was. My mother was Max. As mush of a mother she could be when my real mom left.

I clutched my locket in my hand. It went to my ribs, but would probably get smaller as I grew. I had it wrapped around my neck three times, so it wouldn't get caught on anything and break.

A picture of me as a baby and Max was in the locket, and that was all I cared about. They could steal my socks, my clothes, my hair stuff. But if they touched the locket, they were dead. Or close. They already had an example made from Tony. He'd been in the hospital for several weeks. And he was two years older than me.

I felt the tears streaming down my face and I wiped them away with the back of my hand. I stared up at the moon, hoping against hope that I was close to Max when I got in Arizona.

"I love you, Max."

* * *

**Me: *stares up at the ceiling trying to make a face out of the cottage cheeseyness of it* **

**Skid: *doing the same as me***

**Tank: What are you doind?**

**Me: Look above.**

**Tank: *looks above* Oh, so you're staring at the ceiling?**

**Me: I meant look above on the writing thingy majig.**

**Tank: Oh. *looks above at the writing thingy majig* You two are insane.**

**Skid: And that's why you love us.**

**Tank: Well, I love you, and her I could live without. **

**Me: *sits up straight* Hey! Don't make me send Vlad after you! He's probably never tasted Avian-Human blood before. **

**Vlad: *salavates***

**Tank: AH! Down boy!**

**Vlad: Oh, fine. And I was just kidding.**

**Me: I can't believe the New Vladimir Todd book is coming out soon! I'm so excited!**

**Skid: Huh?**

**Me: If you're gonna be my friend, you have catch up on you're reading, humming bird.**

**I haven't given you ages yet. Sorry.:**

**Max, Iggy, Fang: 16. From oldest to youngest.**

**Nudge, Ella: 15**

**Gazzy: 12**

**Angel: 8**

**Jeb: Old**

**- Sanity **


	4. This Dude's Off His Nut

**Ya know how some people cut then wear long sleeves all the time?**

**Skid (who might just make a permanent place for herself.): Yeah.**

**Me: I don't get it. If you cut, you should wear the scars proudly. If you don't want to wear the scars, don't cut. It's simple. **

**JP: I don't get why you _would_ cut.**

**Me: *shrugs* Guess it's part of people being depressed or something . . . kinda like the song _Pain _by Three Days Grace: "Rather feel Pain than nothing at all." I love that song. Listening to it right now.**

**Tank: Are you emo?**

**Me: The song ISN'T EMO!**

**Tank: Alright, Sanity. Geez. Don't bite my head off.**

**Me: No, that's your girlfriend's job.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Max Ride, Three Days Grace, or Pain. Call the song emo and I'll show you the true meaning of pain.**

**Skid: And I'll help. I kinda like it. **

**

* * *

**

Max POV

I spent the night at Ella's house with Nudge and Ella - duh. Ella's mom wasn't home because she's a vet and is on call twenty-four seven, so she gets home when she's done with work. She probably got home about three am.

"Max!" Ella shook me awake at about tennish. If something or someone doesn't wake me up, I'd probably be a whole lot like Seeping Beauty. Minus the beauty part, but I'd sleep for a hundred years.

"Wha?" I asked, curling into an even tighter ball like it would block out her voice. Just let me sleep, El. Please, I beg you.

"Mom's up and she baked cookies."

I jack knifed into the sitting position, unfortunately bumping heads with Ella. Nudge was still snoring on the floor.

"Ow, Max. That hurt," she said, rubbing her head.

"How ya think I feel?" I replied and got out of the bed. Oh, get that head out of the gutter. Ella actually had two beds in her room. One for her, one for me, and Nudge gets the floor because she kicks in her sleep. She actually said that and volunteered to take the floor, so we're all happy.

I exited her room and was greeted by the wonderful gooey chocolate chip cookie smell. Use the force, Max. Yeah, I'm gonna use the force.

Practically jumping down the stairs to reach the cookies before Ari, Ella's brother who was fourteen, could eat them, I ran into mom/Dr. M. I call her mom because she was the only real mother figure I had when my mom left a few months after Angel was born. She probably left us for some guy younger than Jeb and didn't want to deal with four kids.

Mom was the one who told me about the period (*cough* gross *cough*) and took me shopping for bras (You thought Jeb would take me? Puh-lease. He wouldn't even drop me off at the drug store so I could get pads.). So, basically, she was my mom.

I hugged her so tightly she probably couldn't breath, and said, "Hi, mom."

She laughed. "Hey, Max. How's life going?" We pulled apart.

"Eh, pretty good, I guess."

She looked me up and down. "You got taller . . . and cut your hair. It looks good."

I smiled at her. "Thanks. I want some cookies before Ari eats them all."

She chuckled. "Alright. But when I get back there I don't want to see blood on my floor. I just cleaned."

I rolled my eyes and nodded. "Yeah, yeah." Then I continued to run over to the kitchen. The kitchen was off white tiled and had beige cabinets, with a brown back drop and stainless steal appliances. And in the middle of it was a island, which had cookies on it. And Ari had one hand over a cookie.

He looked up and when he saw me, snarled. "Max."

"Ari." Geez, aren't we nice to each other? Actually, it's quite the opposite. We got into a battle of the sexes, and I'm standing my ground, and so is he. Girls kick ass, alright? Boys have their own opinion, and they're entitled to it. That doens't always mean they're right, though.

I grabbed a few cookies and stood on the other side of the island across from Ari, chewing the cookie goodness. I make the Cookie Monster's obsession look like childs play.

Soon, Ella came in the room and sensed the tension you could cut with a knife. "Alright, I see neither of you have killed each other yet so maybe we'll get over this enemy stuff and be friends?"

We both looked at her and bursts out laughing. I actually had tears I was laughing so hard. Ari was rolling all over the floor.

I calmed down enough to stand up again and said, "Oh, Ella. You always know how to make me laugh. But, seriously, I don't think we could ever be friends."

She glared at me. "I'm serious, Max. This enemy thing has been going on for too long."

"When he admits that girls are better than boys maybe I'll be able to be acquaintanceswith him. Maybe."

She continued to glare at me but sighed. "Whatever. Just don't kill each other. I like my brother alive, thank you very much."

"What about me?" I asked in a whiny voice but she knew I was joking.

"Yeah, I guess I don't wat you to be six feet under, either." She grabbed a cookie and stood next to me.

"Oh, my sister has betrayed me for that . . . that, thing!" Ari exclaimed.

"Whatever, dog breath."

He growled at me. We continued to eat the cookie goodness until there was only one left. Nudge would have to get the next batch. How was she still asleep?

Ari was about to pick up the cookie when Nudge magically appeared. "Put. The cookie. Down."

"Ha ha, no." He was about to pick it up when I slapped his hand away.

"C'mon, dude. Let her have the cookie."

"Why should I listen to you, Max?"

"Because I'm older."

"I'm stronger. And a guy."

"Puh-lease. I'm a girl. Ladies first, remember?" I asked him, crossing my arms in front of my chest. I might be all for women's rights, but I like that one. Unless you're going into a pit of snakes . . . That would really suck.

"Since when are you a lady?" he countered.

I waited a second. "Touche. But Nudge is a lady, so she gets the cookie. You are all about chivalry, aren't you?" Ha! I have you now, Ari.

"Bu-" I cut him off.

"And you'd be a hypocrite not to give her the cookie. So," I said, picking up the cookie. "Nudge, enjoy your cookie."

She smiled at me and I handed her the cookie. She bit into it, and pure love crossed her face. Sure, she's dating Iggy, but her heart lies with mom's cookies.

Ari hmphed and stomped off and I rolled my eyes.

Ella sighed. "I really wish you two would get along. It would make a whole lot less drama when you come over."

The Nudge channel decided to hack into this conversation. Joy. She said, "Yeah, I know. Everytime you come here, I'm usually here and you two are ripping each other's throats out. It's kinda weird how much you two hate each other. Like, you don't even hate Dylan this much. It's like you two were born to be enemies. Like cat's and birds, or dogs and birds **(A/N: Get it?) **or whatever. I don't get the point of hating someone so much. It's just a waste of energy and-"

"Nudge, please. It's too early in the morning for this," I complained, rubbing my temples. "Just shut your mouth and eat your cookie."

Ella giggled and said, "I find that kinda hard." I rolled my eyes but smiled anyway.

Nudge giggled, too, then finished off the rest of her cookie. "C'mon, Max. Let's go upstairs." She grabbed hand and dragged me upstairs, Ella following us.

Ella closed the door behind us and walked straight over to her iHome, pressed play, and sat in her desk chair. I flopped down on the extra bed. I think Nudge went to Ella's.

"Alright," Ella said over the music. "We gave you a break yesterday because you said you were tired from shopping, but now it's time to spill. What were you thinking about when you blushed at lunch the other day? Hm?"

"God. Will you ever let that go?" I asked her.

Ella and Nudge smiled. "Nope," Ella replied. "Now . . . what were ya thinking about?"

I sighed. It was useless to argue with them or they'd never let me live it down. Damn them. "I was comparing two guys . . ." Yeah, no way in Hell was I gonna tell them who.

Nudge squeeled and made her way over to my bed. "Who was it? Huh, huh? Who? I need to know! This is my area of expertise! C'mon, who were you thinking about? Max, answer me!"

"Fine!" I shouted. Then lowered my voice a lot and said, "Sam and Fang."

"Huh? Sem and Fem? Huh?"

I notched up my voice a little bit. "Sam and Fang."

"Max, I can't hear you!" she complained.

"God! Sam and Fang, alright? Ugh!" I buried my face in the pillow.

I heard Ella squeal and Nudge giggle at my answer.

Ella said, "I knew it! You like him!"

I lifted my head up and saw a very excited Ella. "Which one?"

"Fang!"

"Oh, great. Now you're gonna try and play match maker. No thanks, El."

"Fine," Nudge said. "You didn't say I couldn't play match maker. OMG, wouldn't that be so awesome if you guys got together before homecoming? Or during homecoming! AH! That be so cool! I'm so happy I already have a date to homecoming and it's Iggy. That just makes me so happy! I'm ready ready ready to dance dance dance! I'm so excited! A-"

"Nudge!" Ella and I both screamed. She got quiet.

Something by Justin Bieber came on and I groaned.

"Alright," I told Ella. "I can stand Demi Lova, Mitchell Whats his face, and Ava Lavigne chick, but if you don't cut that crap off I'm gonna break your iPod."

She smirked and turned the music up louder, then made it worse by singing with it. Don't get me wrong, Ella's not all that terrible at singing, but it just amplifies all the horribleness that is Justn Bieber's song writing. I just don't get it. Why would someone sing baby about five million times? Why? **(A/N: Alright, I don't listen to JB because I think he sounds like an untalented girl, so this is a guess from what I heard about his songs.) **

I picked up a pillow and threw it at her. She gasped at me and started to glare. It wasn't as good as mine, but it was still pretty good.

"This means war!" she exclaimed and grabbed the pillow I had threw at her and then threw it at me. She grabbed amo and so did I, then it turned into a long distance pillow fight.

After a few minutes of the fun pillow fighting, I sighed and walked up to Ella, pillow in hand. I stuck out my other hand and said, "Truce?"

She nodded and grabbed my hand. I guess great minds think alike, becuase she hit me in the back of the head with the pillow and I did the same to her. Then we started to laugh. And laugh. And laugh. Alright, there was a lot of laughing.

I wiped the tears away with the back of my hand and stood up. "Oh, I haven't laughed that hard in a long time."

Ella nodded and plopped down on her extra bed/my bed. Why not her bed, you ask. Well, I think she's too lazy to walk the extra two feet to her bed but who am I to judge? I've done it before.

* * *

We were sitting in the living room, watching Charley and the Chocolate Factory. I don't know why. Ella and Nudge wanted to watch it. Shrug.

We were at the part where Wonka crossed his arms with the Umpalumpa chief dude, and I chuckled. "Wouldn't that suck if he was agreeing to his death?" **(A/N: I actually said that. Ha ha.)**

Ella said, "Yeah. I think this Wonka dude's off his nut."

We started to laugh. Get it? Because he makes candy? With nuts? Oh, you don't get it? Wow, aren't you slow.

Then my phone started to ring and I sighed. It was Jeb. How did I know? My ring tone said, 'Don't answer the phone, don't answer the phone,' again and again, and that was what I had set as his ringtone so . . . yeah.

I pulled the phone out of my back jean pocket and flipped open the phone. "Yeah? What?"

"Max," he said. "Get over here. Now." Then he hung up. Ooookkkkk . . .

"Guys, I gotta go," I said and they groaned.

"But Max-" Ella said and I cut her off.

"Jeb sounds like a mixture between really pissed, really happy, and confusion at the same time, so I'm not testing his patience."

She nodded and turned her attention back to the movie, while I grabbed the small bag I had packed. "See ya later," I told them."

"Bye, Max," Ella and Nudge said. They really seemed to like that movie.

"Mom! I'm leaving!" I yelled into the kitchn area.

"Wait, Max," she said, shuffling to the living room. She handed me some tinfoil with something wrapped in it. "These are some cookies-"

"Thanks, Mom," I said and started to open the package and she slapped my hand.

"For your brothers . . . and Jeb," she added. Mom never really liked Jeb that much, which I don't get, but whatever.

I sighed. "I guess they should get some too."

She smiled at me and my phone rang again.

"I gotta go," I said and hugged her. "Bye dog breath!"

"See ya, bird brain!" he called from somewhere.

I, personally, think birds are pretty badass. I mean, look at Tweety Bird. Add a leather jacket and the dude's ready to roll.

But I didn't have time for dog breath. I left the house and got into my truck, then continued to go down to my house a few blocks away. There was the crappy side of town, the middle where most of the stores and the mall and whatever were, and the rich side where I lived. We weren't extremely rich with maids and cooks or whatever, but Jeb was a scientist and he made fairly good pay.

I munched on a cookie on my way to the house, long since changed the radio station. My usual rock was on when I drove up to the house and got out of the truck like any normal day. Walked across the porch, through the door, and into the kitchen.

Then I dropped the cookies and was tackled . . .

* * *

**Mwahahahahaha!**

**Tank: Oh, good job, dummy. **

**Me: Sorry if this chapter was short. It was pretty much a filler chapter except the last few sentences. **

**Skid: *catching up on her reading, continues to do so***

**JP: Man, she really likes my MR series. She's already on the last one!**

**Skid: *finishes the book and throws it at the wall* What the Hell, J! What's wrong with you?**

**JP: *hides* She might not be one of my characters, but she's pretty damn scary.**

**Me: That's because she's _my _character. I feel bad for the cookies in my chapter . . . the gooeyness has been ruined.**

**Dr. M: Here, have these. **

**Me: *attacks the cookies with Max as my backup***

**- Sanity**


	5. Kill Iggy

**Ya know what pisses me off?**

**Tank: Everything?**

**Skid: No. That's not it . . . only a lot of things piss her off, not everything.**

**Me: What pisses me off is that I had to get something I actually wanted from the boys part in Walmart!**

**Tank: You've had no problem doing that before.**

**Me: No. That's not the problem. I'm perfectly fine with getting stuff from the guy's part but it pisses me off because none of the girls have stuff like that! It's and outrage, I tell you, an outrage!**

**Skid: I agree. We can wear plaid on Friday for a pep-rally or something and there wasn't a single plaid shirt not involving bright colors or pink. **

**Me: I'm disgusted. If you're disgusted, write it in your review or something. If you're not disgusted, whatever. I'm too pissed off to care. It's like I had to get my converse from the guys section when I got them because the only girl converse were pink. Like, what the hell? **

**Disclaimer: I'm a fortune teller, and I can tell you I won't be owning JP, MR, or Walmart any time soon, but you'll see. One day you will all bow to thy's mighty ruler! **

**Me: ANGEL! I banned you from my disclaimer doing! That's my job to tell people who'll be ruling the world! Bad girl!**

* * *

I dropped the cookies to the floor and was tackled . . . into a hug.

Angels face was in my stomach, and I could feel tears staining my shirt, but I really didn't care. I had my baby girl back.

I knelt down to her level and gave her a bone crushing hug, and she returned it with one of her own.

"M-Max," she said and hugged me tighter. "I-I m-missed you."

"I know, baby. I know," I responded. "I missed you too. More than you know."

I then started to cry. Cry. Let's get one thing straight: I don't cry. Ever. I cried once. When Angel was taken. Then my tear ducts just seemed to shut off. Quite odd, but kinda cool, when you think about it.

I have no idea how long we stayed like that, but eventually we broke apart and Angel wiped away her tears with the back of her hand.

"So . . ." Fang siad. "Anyone wanna tell me what's going on?"

I raised an eyebrow at Iggy, and he shrugged. "Didn't exactly know how to tell him, really. 'Oh, hey, man. I see you've met my long lost sister who was taken by some lunatics and kinda looks like Max's mini-me. Wanna go to the game?'" He snorted. "Yeah, right. Fang, Angel's our little sister who was kidnapped when she was five. Here she is now."

I rolled my eyes. I looked at Angel. Her wavy, platinum blond hair was weighted down and was slightly curled at the tips where it met her mid back. She was wearing a pair of ratty old jeans that were practically under her shoes, a dirty tank-top, and a pair of sneakers.

"You still have the locket, right?" I asked her, quite panicked. I had bought both of those lockets when she was born. And let's just say they weren't cheap, no matter how non-flashy they were. Inscriptions cost money.

She smiled at me and pulled her dark silver locket from out of her tank-top. "Of course. I sent a kid to the hospital for touching it."

I chuckled and stood up. "So . . . I see you've re-met everyone by now."

"Not the guy you called Fang." She shrugged.

"Oh. This is Fang, Fang, this is Angel. She was kidnapped three years ago, by what Iggy called lunatics."

"Hi!" Angel said, walking up to him and she stuck her hand out. I was quite shocked when Fang shook said hand. Alrighty then. Whatever. He must have fallen in love with my little sister.

Not like that. I don't believe he's like Jacob Black. Yes, I read the Twilight Saga. Sure, the Stephanie woman is a good author, but let's get one more thing straight: Real men don't sparkle. Gay guys, gay guys sparkle. Fang? He's a real man. I don't think he sparkles. Jeb . . . well, I don't really know, but my gay-senses are tingling . . .

Holy flying shit. Did I just say Fang was a real man? Angel's magical reappearance is making me loopy.

"Max!" Someone snapped there fingers in front of my face.

"W-what?" I asked.

Iggy gave me a funny look but said, "As I was saying, the guys and I were gonna go to the baseball game. We wanted to know if you two wanted to come."

I looked down at Angel. "Ange? It's up to you."

She smiled at me. "Nah. I wanna relax some."

And that's how we ended up on the couch, watching Phineas and Ferb. It's surprising how entertaining kid shows can be. Who knew?

"Hey, Max?" Angel said.

"Yeah, sweetey?"

"I wanted to tell you I love you. A lot. And that I don't blame you. At all."

I nodded. I always thought it was my fault, but Confucius Max enlightened me towards a new path. The path of blaming your parents for everything wrong in your life.

I didn't realize I had said that out loud until Angel giggled.

"I'm glad I could help entertain you," I told her with a chuckle. "But that doesn't mean you can go around blaming Jeb for everything."

"Alrighty," she said and smiled up at me from her position on the couch.

Jeb . . . "Hey, Ange, where's Jeb?"

"he said something about having to go to work and tell Max she's in charge." SHe shrugged and moved closer to me.

"What a dad we have," I told her and ruffled her hair. She giggled and sighed when the show ended.

I flicked off the TV and said, "C'mon, let's go." I got up and grabbed her hand.

"Where are we going?" she asked, a little worried.

I smiled at her. "You need a uniform, don't you?"

* * *

I sat in English class, zoning out of Roz's lecture. I was doodling the Pringles guy on the toe of my converse with my black sharpie when I realised tow things: One, how much the pringles guy looked like Jeb. I mean, take a good look at the Pringles guy. What's his name, anyway? Oh, let's call hm Jeb 2. Anyway, look at the mustache. Mustache = lame. Unless you're a biker, than an awesome mustache just shoots your badassness level through the roof. When you're Jeb or Jeb 2, on the other hand, it just makes you lamer. Biker mustache screams, "I've got a mustache, I'm badass, don't mess with me unless you wanna feel the mustache's wrath." When Jeb's mustache screams, "I'm a scientist and I only have this mustache to prove to all those jerks in highschool that I _can _indeed grow body hair, so ha!" Just no, Jeb. No.

And the second thing: Iggy and Gazzy haven't blown anything up yet.

"Maximum Ride, you are wanted in the principals office," the announcer said, interrupting my little moment of thinking. Guess I spoke too soon. Whatever. I'm out of class, right?

I slung my book bag over my shoulder and walked out of the classroom. Iggy, Gazzy, my brain is having a civil war wether to kill you or thank you. The thank you side is winning. Lucky you.

I walked into the office, which was basically just a counter with three desks behind it and a door leading to Dr. Pruit's office. Pruit, oh, how I despise you...

Pruit the Prune was holding the door open and was waiting for me. Through the door I could see guilty looking Iggy and Gazzy. And new news in the war! Killing side is now taking the lead!

Pruit had a stern look on his red face. I swear, that guy is never happy. I feel bad for his wife.

I walked into the Prune's Lair and decided to push his buttons. I walked behind the desk, sat in the spinning chair, and propped my feet up on the desk. "What's up, Doc?" I asked in my best Bug's Bunny voice. If I do say so myself, it was pretty dang good.

To my surprise, he didn't tell me to get from behind the desk. He just sat down in the parent's chair next to Iggy and said, "You're brothers here set off a stink bomb in the second story boy's restroom." **(A/N: I like sticking to the books as much as possible, like now. Damn, I'm good.)**

I stayed as calm as possible, even though I was cracking up inside because the Prune had let me sit in his chair. Iggy and Gazzy's faces were scrunched up from the effort not to laugh. "Really? Now, tell me, Dr. Pruit, why did you not call Jeb to handle this?"

"I did," he replied. "He said if someone isn't dying he doesn't want to hear it and hung up."

"Huh." I turned around in the chair and said, "Pruit, you're dismissed."

I heard him stand and leave the room. Wow, it is so nice to know that my school is run by an absolute idiot. Iggy and Gazzy were cracking up like addicts until I turned to them and said, "What are you laughing at? You two are in _so_ much trouble." That sobered them up real fast.

"B-But, Max we-" Gazy started and I cut him off, rising to my feet. Ya know, I can get used to this principal business.

"I don't want to hear it." I then told them that I was going to kill them, how I was gonna kill them, then explained how much pain they were gonna be in when I kill them. I then cursed them out several times and said, "C'mon. You're going to class."

I walked out of the office with Gazzy and Iggy behind me, their shoulders slumped but their eyes darting everywhere to make sure I hadn't somehow hired an assassin while I was yelling at them. Puh-lease. They should know Gozen's on vacation . . . or is he?

"Pruit, you can have your office back," I told the form that had his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. They broke Pruit, man! Maybe I should thank them . . . Nah. Killing them is way more fun.

Once we were out of the office, I broke the calm face facade. I grabbed Gazzy and Iggy by the ear and dragged them down the hall. And the best part? Class just got out. Oh, yeah. They did die today. A social and incredibly embarrassing death by their big sister. Sure, I was only about two minutes older than Iggy, but that counted.

Snickers and giggles ran through the hall as I dropped Iggy off at his next class and pionted a finger at him. "James Ignite Ride, if you set off one more bomb, I swear to God you'll know very well what the true meaning of pain is." I then stomped off, towing a snickering Gazzy by his ear along with me. "I don't know what you're laughing at, you're next."

He probably paled and started to stutter out, "M-Max, you don't wanna do that. Please, please don't do that. Please, Max, please!" But I wasn't listening. Ya know, I'm starting to like this being in control thing. It's fun!

I was walking through the middle school part while jaws dropped. They probably never got any high schoolers over here but I paid them no attention and continued to drag Gazzy along. His ear is gonna hurt in the morning. It might just stay red.

I stopped in front of his classroom, pointed my finger at him, and gave a speech similar to Iggy's except I changed the first two names to Zephyr Gazzy instead of James Ignite. Oh, how embarrassing my little brothers gives me joy. Is that not normal? If it's not, contact me at 1-800-so-not-telling-you.

I then changed my glare to a smile and said in an ultra cheery voice, "Alright, love! Have fun!" Then skipped down the hall. Man, I must be really happy about embarrassing them if I'm skipping.

* * *

I sat in my room, wearing a pair of old jeans and a ratty tank top and was bare foot. I love being bare foot. Unless it's cold. I hate the cold. My music was blaring, I had a pencil in my hands and a sketch book on my leg. I was as happy as a clam.

Someone knocked on my 'door' and I sighed. I was feeling the inspiration. Damn people interrupting my art time. "Come in," I said over the music and heard the door slide open. Up walked Fang, handsome as ever.

"What?" I asked in a harsher tone than I intended it to be.

"I wanted to talk . . ." he trailed off when he saw my walls. I had painted the sun onto my ceiling, and birds along the walls. If the bird could fly, it was pretty much drawn onto the wall. Just the clear blue sky and birds. No landscapes, water, grass, or trees. Just birds and the sky. Well, except half of the far wall which was just a big bookcase.

"Talk about what?" I asked.

"What does that tattoo mean?"

I sighed. "Let's have a trade."

He raised an eyebrow. "A trade?"

"Yeah," I said. "I tell you what the tattoo means, but I get to draw you."

His eyebrow went up even higher and I blushed. "Fully clothed you. Geez. You're worse than Iggy."

It was his turn to blush, but he got over it quickly. "You don't seem like the person to ask for permission to draw someone."

I shrugged. "I always do that. It be like taking pictures of someone without asking. I find it kinda creepy."

He nodded understandingly. "I agree. So . . . how does this work?"

I shrugged. "Just sit down."

He did as told and flopped down on my black metal very antiquish bed. It's not antique, by the way. Just looks like it.

"The tattoo," he enquired.

"Sit still," I told him and poised my pencil. "Alright. Angel was taken by the loony toons on the seventh month, Friday the thirteenth, two-thousand seven. I was pretty much in hysterics. I was only thirteen and my baby girl was taken from me in front of my own eyes." I had subconsciously started to draw him, but just his face. His gorgeous face . . . "I had raised Angel since our mom had left us. We don't know where she is, why she left, or if she's still alive. We just know she's gone. Moving on to the tattoo. I had promised myself never to forget that day, and until we found her, body or alive and well, I wouldn't stop looking, and I would never forget. So I had it inked into my back. A permanent reminder. I plan to get the date we found her - or, really, she found us - under the date she went missing." I continued to sketch his face, his long nose, obsidian eyes. "Any questions?"

He thought for a moment. "Not really. We could get to know each other a little better since it seemed you hated me the first time you saw me."

"Yeah, about that," I said. "I was extremely pissed off with the male race then, so sorry. What's your first question?"

"Hm . . . favorite color?"

"Dark blue. I already know yours so I won't ask."

He smirked. "That obvious? Don't answer that. Favorite subject?

I shrugged. "I don't really like school. Hate all my classes."

He raised an eyebrow. "Even art?"

I snorted. "Not much of an art class. What's your favorite subject?"

"English."

"You write?"

He shrugged. "A little."

"You're gonna have to let me read your work sometime."

"We'll see," he said, not moving his facial expression.

"You should smile more often," I told him.

He smirked. "Why? Find it dazzling?"

I rolled my eyes but continued to draw. "I haven't seen you smile once since you've been here. Plus, you'll get scowl lines."

"Where on earth did you hear that?" he asked, amusement creeping into his words.

I shrugged. "Interweb."

"Ah."

_Unbreakable _by Fireflight came on and I hummed to it, continuing my work.

"You have good taste in music," Fang commented.

"At least it's not Jistin Bieber. Bleh."

"The dude creeps me out," he said.

"Yeah. And why does't he just cut the damn bangs?"

He glared at me. "I like my bangs, thank you very much."

"Yeah, but on you they look hot," I muttered. Crap. Let's hope he didn't hear that.

Oh, but he did. Damn the bad luck.

He smirked at me. "What was that?"

"Oh, nothing, nothing at all," I said quickly.

"So," he said, standing up. "You think my bangs are hot?"

"You're ruining the drawing . . ." I said and trailed off as he moved closer in long strides. The desk wasn't too far from my bed, so he got here very quickly.

"What was it that you said, exactly?"

I sighed. "I said, 'But on you they look hot.' Happy?"

He leaned down so his nose only about an inch away from mine. "Ecstatic." His cool breath tickled my lips, and he smelt like cinnamon. His lips were so close . . . I could . . .

He put his hands down on the arms of the chair and was leaning in when Iggy decided to pop in. "Max, you did- oh. Sorry to interupt," he said with a snicker. Iggy. I. Am. Going. To. Kill. You. Of course, Fang had jumped back when he heard Iggy's voice, but he was still extremely close to me.

I looked down at the sketch book in my hands and smiled. I had been done drawing him, and was coloring his eyes. They were dark and deep and as endless as midnight. I was about to tear the drawing out and hand it to him when his hand covered mine, sending electric sparks running through me. "Keep it," he said and walked over to my door.

I hugged the drawing to my chest, and thought one thing and one thing only:

How am I gonna kill Iggy in a very painful way that last for a very long time without him dying?

* * *

**Max: I like this chapter.**

**Iggy: Can't say I'm too happy about it.**

**Me: I know this chapter kinda sucks, but whatever. I'm still kinda pissed off at Walmart and all clothes designers of the world. **

**Tank: You could come out with a line of clothing on your own.**

**Me: Yeah! One problemo, senior: Can't. Draw. **

**Tank: Oh, yeah.**

**JP: But nothings impossible!**

**Me: Probably never tried slamming a revolving door, now have you?**

**JP: Touche. **

**Me: *sigh* Almost ten . . . gotta go to bed soon if there's any hope of me waking up in the morning. *yawn***

**Max: Hey, where's Skid?**

**Me: She passed out on my bed about five minutes ago in the middle od New Moon. I can't say I'm offended. **

**- Sanity**


	6. The Porcelain God

**A plot is forming**

**Creeping up on me like**

**A snake in the grass**

**Biting into my soul**

**The soul of a writer**

**Also the headache of one**

**Tank: You should stick to stories.**

**Me: Don't bother my poetry. He's been through rough times. And JP, do you ever get, like, really bad headaches at random periods of time?**

**JP: Yeah, why?**

**Me: YAY! That means I'm a writer.**

**Tank: Or you have a brain tumor. **

**Me: You are such a party pooper. You poop parties. But I have headaches all the time now that I'm really starting to write. I need brain space. Seriously. I come up with a good idea, write it down, and another shows up. I'm gonna need a stash of advil stored in my bag or something. **

**Skid: My head hurts. Why is that? I don't write.**

**Me: It's because you banged New Moon on it about five million times..**

**Skid: But it's so boring . . .**

**Me: I'm with you on that, hummingbird.**

* * *

I groaned an managed to pull myself off of the bed. Life would be so much easier if you could just sleep all the time. But you can't, so I might as well stop complaining. I should. But I probably won't.

I got dressed and felt really bad. Not about hurting someone's feelings or anything, but just plain _bad. _I guess it's just one of those days when you just feel bad and can't explain it. I sighed and grabbed my messenger bag.

I opened the door and climbed down my stairs. The smell of French toast filled the waiting room thing and made my stomach form into a tight ball. I swallowed hard and walked into the kitchen, and my stomach formed a tighter ball, then lurched. No food for me. That endangers everyone's health very, very much.

And it didn't help that Iggy put a plate right in front of my nose and said, "Eat up."

I pushed the food away and turned my nose. My stomach was churning, bubbling up any food left in it from dinner last night. "No thanks. Not hungry."

His eyes widened, he slapped his hand onto my forehead, and asked, "Max, are you alright?"

I pushed his hand away and said, "Yeah. I'm fine." Walked over to the fridge, and grabbed a water. "Just not hungry." I sat next to Angel, who was looking extremely cute in her skirt, gray jacket, white dress shirt, and pink tie.

"Max," she said. "Are you really ok?"

I smiled a ghost of a smile and nodded. "Yeah, sweetey. I'm fine." **(A/N: Oh, you stubborn little Max.) **

She didn't seem to believe me, but still grinned and said, "Great! Then can you please braid my hair?"

I frowned. "Sorry, Ange. I don't know how to braid."

"Oh." She sounded disappointed and sighed.

"I can do it," Gazzy said and walked behind Angel. He parted her hair into three and started to loop it together.

I raised an eyebrow at him and knew he was extremely jealous because he couldn't do it. "Should I be worried about this?"

He scowled. "No, you shouldn't. Some girls in my class were doing it and it seemed pretty easy. And BAM! I can braid."

"Huh," I said and popped open my water. I sipped it and immedietly regretted it. My stomach growled for food and my churned at the same time. I felt like I needed to throw up.

"Max," Fang reached over the table and touched my hand. "Are you alright?"

"Geez!" I exclaimed and stood up. "Why is everyone asking me that? I'm fina, alright? Perfectly fine." I then stormed out, grabbed my keys, and went to my truck. I waited for everyone with the air on, rolling my sleeves up. Why was it so hot in here?

Fang got in first and I could see gossbumps form on his bare arms. "Why is it so cold in here?"

"What are you talking about? It's hot." He gave me the 'are you crazy' look. "What?"

Iggy, Gazzy, and Angel got in the car and all complained about how cold it was.

"Let's just go," I said and turned the key, my engine roaring to life. I hit the gas and we were on our way to school.

We were there in five minutes, and I got out and immediately made my way to my locker. I just wanted school to be over . . .

And that meant this would be the longest day of my life.

* * *

I was in the bathroom when I looked in the mirror. No wonder people are asking me if I'm ok. I look terrible. I had bags under my eyes, and my skin had a green tint to it. My eyes were barely open, and even then you could see they didn't have any light to them at all. Just empty holes. I sighed and washed my hands, then grabbed my bag from the counter. I know I must have some sort of make up in here . . . Oh, Nudge. Thank you so much. I don't know how she did it, but she put cover up in my bag and attached a note to it: _Maximum Ride, if you don't put this on I will kill you. You look terrible. Love, Nudge. _

I smiled at the note, and dabbed some of the stuff over the bags under my eyes. When I was done, I looked relatively better. Still the greenish color, but better. I sighed and put the makeup back into my bag. I had never touched the stuff before, but I was pretty much convinced I would be buying some for times like this.

Hour and a half later

No change in how I feel. No, scratch that. I feel worse. I could barely keep my eyes open during my classes, and when I met up with the guys at my truck I threw the keys at Iggy. "You're driving home."

He gasped. "You're letting me drive your pride and joy? You're baby? You wouldn't even let me touch the keys much less-"

"Iggy. Drive. The damn. Truck," I told him and got into the front seat.

"Alright," he responded and got into the drivers seat.

"I find a single scratch, dent, or piece of mud that's not supposed to be there and I get to kill you," I warned him. I was already planning on killing him, but might as well give him fair warning.

He gulped. "Alright, Max." And drove home, under the speed limit I might add.

We were home, and I immediately went to the living room and laid down on the couch. I was sick. That was for sure.

"Guys!" Jeb called and came into the living room where we all were. "I just got a call from work and I have to be there right now. Max is in charge."

"But she's sic-" Jeb was already out the door before Gazzy could finish his sentence. He shrugged and flipped on the TV.

"Nu-uh," I said. "Do your homework first."

"I vote we watch some TV and blow some stuff up," he said with a smile.

"This isn't a democracy, this is a Maxocracy, so get your crap and do your homework." I pointed to his bag.

"Bu-"

"Gazzy, I don't feel good so now is not the time. Just do your work."

He huffed but pulled out his math book and notebook. I closed my eyes and felt the fire burn behind them, felt the warmth that meant I had a fever. About a minute after I told Gazzy to do his work, I was about to throw up. I rushed to the nearest bathroom and knelt before the porcelain God, puking my guts out. Man, what a way to make a first impression to a God. Throw up in his clothes. Nice.

Have you ever noticed that however little hair you have, it always finds a way to your mouth? Well, my hair had grown out and was about and inch below my ear, but still found its way to my mouth.

Someone knelt beside me and pulled my hair back, and I recognized the soft hands as Angel as they brushed across my cheek, collecting hair.

Alright, who knows what you puke up when there's nothing _to _puke up? Well, basically if it was still in my system, it was soon in the toilet. And that's just gross.

After my puking ceremony was over for the time being, I said, "I-Fang, you're in charge."

"Why is he in charge?" Iggy asked.

I looked at him and raised a shaking eyebrow. "I don't trust you to not blow up the house." Then my face was pointed towards the toilet bowl again and I was throwing up a clear liquid that definetly was _not _water.

I heard shuffles and Iggy, Gazzy, and Fang left the room.

"Ange, can you get me some water or something?" I asked her so I had something to throw up when I did again.

She hesitated and then nodded. "Alright. I'll ask Fang to get you some medicine." I nodded and she got up off her knees. I wasn't throwing up anymore, but that was because I had nothing left in my stomach. I slumped down and rested my forehead on my knees. I don't know how long I stayed like that, but eventually ANgel came back in and handed me a water bottle and two pills.

I took them eagerly and popped the pills into my mouth. I gulped down the water ever so slowly and felt like I had to throw up again. Ya know how they tell you to put your head between your legs and take deeo breaths? Well, it doesn't work. At all. I was kneeling before the God of Puking in under a minute.

Angel sughed and gathered my hair up, yet again. Let us pray that my barfing session will be over soon.

Yeah. Right. My life is too hard for that. I was kneeling in front of the toilet for about half an hour before my stomach contents stopped bringing themselves up. Ugh . . .

I was soon asleep on the bathroom floor, and the last thing I remembered was Fang kissing my forehead, electric sparks running across my forehead.

* * *

**This story**

**Has seen better days**

**Among the first chapter**

**And others after**

**I hadn't meant to ryhme**

**What is the time?**

**Tank: Uh . . . 9:43.**

**Me: Thanks. **

**JP: Why do you want the time?**

**Me: I wanted to know the time I had written my suckiest chapter ever. **

**Skid: This one did suck ass.**

**Me: I know . . . I think I have symptoms of writers constipation coming back. And I was rushing myself. Ugh. I hate myself for doing this. To my readers: Please, I know this chapter sucks. Don't put my spirits down even more. I'm not even sure what I'm gonna do for the next chapter.**

**- Sanity**


	7. Right?

****

**I've come to the conclusion that everything is against math.**

**Skid: Er . . . why?**

**Me: Math = hard. Well, most math anyway. A list of things that is against math: Science, English, PE, me, math, and a whole lot of other things that I don't know. Science is against math because math is stable and science can change any second. I hate math . . . **

**Tank: Math is against math? Huh? Man, I do that too often. I need a raise. **

**Me: Yeah, why else would it divide and fold and multiply or whatever? It keeps trying to kill itself!**

**JP: Yep, she's officially insane. **

**Me: No, young grasshopper. I'm officially a math hater. Math Haters, unite! *cricket noises* Geez. You'd think more people would hate math. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own math. I don't even like math. Why would I want to own it?**

**JP: Ahem.**

**Me: Oh. Right. **

**The other dislcaimer cause Jamey hasn't caved yet: I don't own Maximum Ride, James Patterson, or Twilight. Damn.**

****

**

* * *

**

Fang POV

Max was sick for two days. Two days of nothing but a fever, puke, and a toilet bowl for company. Today was Friday and she actually joined us for breakfast. Still wearing the pair of baggy sweatpants and hoodie she's been wearing since she got sick. She had a little color back in her face, and the bags under her eyes seemed to have lightened. Her hair was a complete mess, and she seemed a little weak.

In other words, she looked like crap, but at least it wasn't shit.

"Mornin', Max," Jeb greeted, looking over his gigantic cup of coffee. How does he eat that whole thing?

"Feeling any better?" Angel asked from her spot next to Jeb, worry creeping into her words. She really loved Max. And Max really loved Angel.

Max smiled weakly, and said, " A little."

"Hungry?" Iggy asked but he was already putting some bacon on a plate.

"Starving." Iggy handed her the bacon and she ate with a fork. A fork. I lived here for a few weeks now, and Max doesn't eat with forks. But she's sick, so I guess hygiene does live in everyone. She gulped down a glass of orange juice and said, "I'm gonna try and not puke today." Then left.

"Guess we better go," I siad from the counter and dumped my plate in the sink. Iggy nodded and took his- er, Max's keys out of his pocket.

"See ya, Jeb," Iggy told him and walked out of the door, the rest of us following him to the truck.

Once we were on our way to school, I asked him, "Why do you call Jeb Jeb?"

"Well," he said. "He wasn't much of a dad. Anne was the one who really took care of us when we were younger, and Max took care of Angel after mom left.

"Wait, an eight year old took care of a baby just a few months old?" Wow. I never thought of Max as a mother figure.

He nodded. "Yeah. I know." He pulled into the parking lot and we met up with Nudge and Ella on the wall by the front doors. Iggy put an arm around Nudge's shoulders, and Ella walked next to me. Gazzy and Angel headed over to the middle school and we were all alone.

"Max still sick?" Ella asked.

Iggy nodded. "As a dog."

Nudge decided to join the conversation. "I hope she's alright. El, you think she'll be alright by Monday? I hope she is. We get to wear our pajamas on Monday for homecoming week! Oh, I hope she'll be alright. I miss Max. She must be really sick if she's still not at school. I mean, she looked really bad that first-"

"Nudge, please, my ears are bleeding!" Iggy said. Nudge glared at him, but smiled and went onto her toes to kiss him. Makeout city, straight ahead!

"Oh, get a room," Ella said, rolling her eyes.

Nudge glared at Ella, but was cut short when Lissa walked in front of me. She had her red hair flying, and making her green eyes pop out. Sure, she's kinda pretty, but she's definitely a slut. The top two buttons on her dress shirt were undone, and her skirt was shorter than all of the other girls' were. She had on white boots that went just above her ankles with a small heel to them, and her lips were painted a glossy pink. She was extremely close. So close I could see the globs of face makeup on her skin. **(A/N: I hate it when that happens. I want to dump a bucket of water on them to see what's really under that three pounds of makeup.)**

She twirled a piece of red hair between her thumb, middle finger, and index finger. I think that was what girls did when they liked a boy or something. Well, that's what they did in fourth grade, but I'm not really up to date on my Girlology. Damn school for cutting that class. Damn them.

"Hi, Fang," she said in what was supposed to be seductive voice but only managed to be annoying.

"Yo," I said.

"So, do you wanna go to homecoming with me?" she asked. Ugh. I wasn't planning on going, but Iggy was making me. Said something about getting a girlfriend already. Whatever, Iggy. Whatever.

"No." I started to walk away but she followed me.

"What do you mean, _no?" _Her voice was extra whiny, and it reminded me of a small child.

"No means no." Huh. Wasn't it usually the other way around? I walked into the school and made my way to my locker.

She continued to follow me. When will she stop?

"But, Fa-ang! I'm the most popular girl in school."

I turned around and saw a sad attempt at Bambi eyes. I'm immune to poser Bambi eyes. I've been subject to both Ella, Nudge, and Angel Bambi eyes at the same time so there was no way she was gonna get me.

"I said, no, Lissa." I then continued down the hall.

"Bu-" she was cut off my Nudge's voice.

"He said no, Lissa. He belongs to-"

Ella said, "Nudge, shut up!"

I belong to who? Girls are so weird. I don't think I'll ever understand them.

* * *

Max POV

I sat outside on the porch swing drawing in my sketch book. I had saw a raven sitting on a tree next to my house, and started to draw it. I had my earplugs in, my paints and pens next to me, and a pencil in my hand. I looked up for another look at the crow, and realized it was looking straight at me. It's black eyes stared right into mine, which was very unusual.

Then something even odder happened. It's eyes flashed a deep, rich topaz, and he flew off. I was absolutely startled, but I recovered fast enough to mix the paints into the topaz color just as I has seen it.

This wasn't Edward Cullen topaz eyes, this was a much prettier color topaz. I picked up my smallest paint brush and delicately painted in the eyes, the topaz color getting darker till it reached the black pupil.

I looked the raven holding out the picture far enough for me to see it all. I smiled to myself, and put the picture down. The felt someones cool breath on the back of my neck and I swung my head around.

I was met by a pair of midnight eyes, which were really a dark, dark brown. The song _Again _by Flyleaf played in my ears, and I stared into Fang's rich eyes.

I pressed off on my iPod touch and pulled out my earplugs. "Yeah?"

He whispered in my ear, "You're very talented." His breath tickled my neck, and sent shivers through me. I couldn't tell if they were good or bad.

"Thanks," I said and stood up. I was still sick and it would be a shame if he got whatever I had.

"You're welcome."

Iggy came on the porch and said, "Hello, love birds. You have company, Max." Then he went inside.

"Max! You're alive!" Ella said, and came onto the porch.

"Yeah!" Nudge said, coming onto the porch with Ella. "We thought you were, like, in the hospital or something. You never miss this much school! I remember in first grade you had a cold and you still came to school and Ella and I got sick. That was really bad because we all missed three days of school. Are you gonna come to school Monday? We miss you a lot! P-" Ella slapped a hand over her mouth and I laughed.

"Yeah, I'm probably going to school monday. Calm down, Nudge. I didn't go to the hospital nor the doctor."

"Ok!" she said extra cheerily. "But the school is probably gonna give you problems about not having an excuse or something."

That was probably the shortest thing she ever said.

"See ya," Fang said and exited through the door and into the house. I sat down on the bench again and Angel sat on my lap, completely forgetting I was sick. I honestly forgot too, and started to practice braiding. I had watched Gazzy do it, and it did seem pretty easy. Just bring it into three parts, take either the left or right, bring it over the middle, and if you took the left, take the right and do the same, and the right the left. Was that confusing? Yes? Oh well. Suck it up.

Nudge sat in the chair next to the swing, and Ella made herself a spot next to me and started to flip through my sketch book. It had a leather cover and the spine was leather. It was top notch, and Jeb had given it to me for my birthday. That was about two months ago in June, and I had used up most of the sketch book, drawing anything I felt like.

"Max," Ella said, flipping through my drawings of trees or birds or random people. "These are really good. It's like looking at a picture."

I shrugged and continued to braid Angels hair. We had it cut a little shorter to where it was just a few inches below her shoulders, but it was still very hard for me to braid because I was still learning. You know somethings odd when you learn how to braid from your little brother.

"Let me see," Angel said and reached over to Ella, who handed her the book. I took a rubber band from my wrist and concluded Angel's braid.

"Max, Ella's right. These are really good." She handed the book over to Nudge, who took them eagerly and flipped through the pictures.

I shrugged. "I guess."

"Oh my God, Max! These are fantastic! You should totally enter the state drawing contest. Whoever wins will get, like, five hundred dollars or something. That's a lot of money. Are you gonna do it? You really should, you'd definitely win! That would be so cool if you won!"

Bet you can't guess who that was. Yeah, it was Fang.

. . .

. . .

. . .

. . .

. . .

. . .

. . .

Ha ha! How many of you actually believed that? But really, it was Nudge. How many of you guessed that? *everyone raises their hands* ALL of you? Geez. It's no fun trying to trick someone if you don't fall for it.

Again, I shrugged. "Pretty cool, I guess."

But Nudge was unfazed. "Oh my God, do you have any more sketch books or something? More pictures? Come on, Max! I need more! Please, Max, please?"

I made the mistake of looking at her. She was giving me Bambi eyes. Damn things always get me. I don't like showing people my work. It's like people going through your diary: A complete disregard of my privacy. How many of you have siblings that gp through your journal or whatever? Well, think about how you feel after they do that.

I sighed. "Fine. Ange, can you please go upstairs to my room and get one of the books on the bottom shelf of my bookcase?"

She hopped off my lap and said, "Sure thing, Max." Then went inside the house.

I pulled my legs under me and closed my eyes. I must have drifted off to sleep because when I opened my eyes again, the sun was setting. And there were at least two more sketch books on the porch, and Ella, Nudge, and Angel were all flipping pages like crazy.

"What are you doing?" I asked. They jumped, and Nudge almost dropped the book. Key word: Almost. I think she knew I would kill her if she dropped it.

"Uh . . ." Ella said, drifting off. "Reading your sketch books?"

You know, I was feeling much better. I glared at Ella, and said, "How many did you read?"

"Um . . . half of them? We put all the ones we read back in the order they were, I swear."

All together, I had about ten thick sketch books and nine are filled, cover to cover. I sighed and said, "That's enough reading. I'll bring them back upstairs. Ella, Nudge, I think mom would be worried about you. You should go home."

"Can you drive us?" Ella asked. "It's getting dark out and I don't wanna walk home . . ." she trailed off and I nodded.

"Sure." I got up and stretched. "I'll drive you home. Ange, you should go inside."

She nodded and picked up my sketch books, then went inside. I pulled my extra car key from under the welcome mat and walked over to the truck. I was feeling much, much, better.

* * *

Monday of homecoming week. Yay. Not. But at least we got to wear our pajamas. I was wearing an over sized blue t-shirt and black boxers with black flip-flops. Pretty awesome. Iggy wore white and light blue plaid pants and a white t-shirt and some gray sneakers. Fang wore, well, a black shirt and black pants and black sneakers. Angel, being angel, wore a pink t-shirt and some Hello Kitty pants and pink slippers, her hair in a braid. She was so cute. Gazzy wore a brown shirt and some camouflage shorts and black tennis shoes.

I stuffed down three pieces of toast without the sensation of nausea. Yes! That's the first time in almost a week. And then I downed a glass of orange juice.

"Hungry much, Max?" Iggy asked with a chuckle.

"Hey, you try being sick for six days with barely anything to eat. Then we'll talk about hungry," I replied and put some bacon on my plate, then ate it as soon as it was there.

I went for more bacon, when Iggy slapped my hand away. "Leave some for the rest of us, will ya, Max?"

"I guess you deserve some food too . . ." I said and trailed off.

They ate their food, giving an occasional joke. I sat on the counter, waiting for them to be done so we could just go to school already.

I looked at the clock on the wall in the kitchen. "Time to go, guys."

"Alright, Max," Iggy said and pulled out the keys. "I'm gonna drive to school."

"Ha ha, no." I snatched the keys out of his hand and grabbed my messenger bag. He glared at the back of my head as I walked out of the house and to the truck.

We drove to school in silence until Angel started to hum a Justin Bieber song. Ugh.

"How can you like that?" Gazzy asked her.

She shrugged. "He's cute."

I raised an eyebrow at her. We were at a red light. "You're eight. You're still supposed to think guys have cooties."

She shrugged. "He's still cute."

I rolled my eyes and pressed on the gas . . . . I pulled into the school and got out of the truck. Ella and Nudge immedietly met up with us. Ella wore a yellow t-shirt and a pair of orange shorts and yellow flip-flops. Nudge had on a pink tank top and white shorts and pink slippers.

"Hey, guys!" Sam I am said, coming over. He was wearing a red shirt and blue pants, and he was quite cute. So blonds aren't my type - he's still cute. "Hey, Max." When he added the last part he blushed.

"Hey, Sam," I said and waved. We walked to the wall near the doors where we waited before the bell rang.

After about five minutes of absolutely nothing to talk about, came next to me and leaned against the Wall. I'm just gonna give the wall a title. It is no the Wall. Yeah, I went there. **(A/N: And I brought my fanfiction account with me!)**

"So, Max, do you wanna go to homecoming with me?" he asked in a rush.'

"Sure, Sam!" I said. He was cute and nice and not at all a sexist pig.

He smiled. He was so cute.

I thought I saw Fang's hands clench into fists but it must have just been my imagination . . . right?

* * *

**School is coming down on me**

**Like water at the bottom of the ocean**

**The deep blue water**

**Putting pressure on me**

**The fishes swarming me**

**The sharks eating me**

**Tank: I told you this before, and I'll tell you again: Stick. To. Stories. **

**Me: My poetry sucks, I know. But this one might be better:**

**I am proud to say**

**I have 65 songs on my Queue**

**Skid: I don't think that counts.**

**Me: *shrugs* Whatever. What did ya think of this chapter?**

**JP: It was good. **

**Tank: Eh.**

**Skid: I liked it.**

**R&R?**

**- Sanity**


	8. Broken Hearts

**Ari - Don't feel to bad. I'm jealous of Max's drawing skills and I _gave_them to her. Now, I have a funnyish story to tell. Blue and I were at the mall, and were in American Eagle when we saw a poster of a guy who looked like Taylor Lautner! Blue said, "He looks like Taylor Lautner." So I said, "Yeah, he does. But he's the evil twin; Tyler Lautner." And she bursts out laughing. Ya know, they have some good stuff in AE.**

**Tank: O.O . . . Are you sick?**

**Skid: . . . O.o**

**JP: O.O**

**Me: Ha ha ha ha ha ha! You all actually believed me! Ha ha ha ha!**

**Tank: Wooh. I thought you were catching something. And that means when you get sick, you make sure we _all_ get sick. Sick of you.**

**Me: Oh, shut up. **

**Skid: And why were you in AE anyway?**

**Me: *shrugs* I think Blue's mom wants us to be normal, pink loving girls! Psh. Like that'll ever happen. That's as likely as Max losing her wings.**

**JP: *scratches something out in his notebook* Damn.**

**Disclaimer: How many times do I have to tell you, dammit! I don't own Maximum freaking Ride! And why does Fanfiction keep asking me? Geez. I need some space, Fanfiction people! Intrude my personal space bubble and I get to kill you.**

**Tank: You didn't kill me yet and I poke you all the time *poke***

**Me: That's because you're what keeps my brain from completely exploding:**

**You keep me on the ground**

**You help with my writing**

**You make sure my head doesn't explode**

**Into tiny bits of brain**

**Upon the ceiling**

**And the walls**

**Though, it would be a much better than cream.**

**Tank: I'm not even going to say anything . . . Was that a love poem?**

**Me: No, that was an appreciation poem. Don't expect too many of them.**

* * *

I was on m way to lunch when Sam caught uo with me and smiled at me. We were the same height because I was really tall for a girl, and he was an average height for a guy. Now I sound like some hypocrite for saying 'for a girl', but some of you need to get the big picture: You don't see that many six-foot-four girls out there. Guys usually are taller than girls, but that doesn't mean we can't still kick their asses. I've done it before.

"Hey, Sam," I said.

He scratched the back of his neck. "Um, do you wanna get some ice cream after school or something?"

I smiled at him and I think he blushed. "Sure, Sam."

He smiled brightly. "I'll pick you up at your house?"

I noded and we made our way to the cafeteria and got in line for lunch. I put an apple on my tray and . . . all of you Twilight fans are probably all, 'Are you gonna drop it and is he gonna bounce it on his foot and your gonna live happily ever after?'. No. I didn't drop it. I put it on my tray and we continued to walk down the line. I got two burgers - such a funny word -, my apple, and a Dr. Pepper. How I love it so. And you're all thinking, 'Two burgers?' Why, yes. I eat as much as a guy or more so suck it up.

We went to the table, and sat down. Iggy was hunched over a notebook and he kept looking off into space and writing something down, Nudge was talking about some new store opening in town, Ella was listening intently, and Fang seemed . . . tense when Sam sat next to him. What's his problem?

I rolled my eyes and ate my delicious cheese burgers. Cheese . . . man, our world is _full_of funny words. It needs to stop. Like the Wacky the Brits: They call their fries chips and their cookies biscuits. What are real biscuits called? Wongdoodles?

"Max!" Iggy snapped his fingers in front of my face. "You in there, Maxie?"

"What?" I asked.

"The bell rang, like, two minutes ago. It's time for class," he said.

"Oh." I looked down at my plate and realized I had ate it all. Huh. I grabbed my plate and stood up, and brought it over to the trash can. Dumped it, and headed to the gym for PE

Today we were doing soccer. I changed into my black basket ball shorts and blue tank top which showed off the tips of my wings.

While I was changing, I head someone yell, "MAXIMUM RIDE YOU ARE SO DEAD!" from the boys locker room and new my prank on Iggy had worked out perfectly. You see there is one color Iggy can't stand to wear: Pink. And who wants to guess what color his PE uniform is now? I snickered to myself and walked out of the locker room.

Iggy was waiting for me, fuming right outside the locker room. His face was as pink as his clothes. "Max, what the Hell?"

I waved a hand. "Now we're even."

He raised an eyebrow at me but narrowed his eyes and said, "You will pay." Then stormed off down the hall to the gym, and I tagged behind him.

"Whatever, Iggy. Whatever."

When we walked to the gym, the guys started to laugh. I snickered again until I saw Fang. Damn, he was looking hot in a tight black t-shirt that hugged his muscles per- Wait, did I just think what I thought I think I thought? Wait, what? Ugh. Stupid brain confusing my . . . brain. Life's hard, ok? Don't expect me to be perfect.

I walked over to the girls part, which only held one person I actually liked, who was JJ. She was wearing orange shorts and a pink tank top. And the other girls were dressed like . . . er, sluts. Especially Lissa. She was wearing a white tank top and you could actually see her pink bra and pink shorts. Huh. I didn't know they came that short. They barely covered her ass.

I rolled my eyes and started to do the stretches we were _supposed _to be doing, but the other girls were messing with their hair or pulling their tank tops down to where you could see the tops of their bras. Ugh. It disgusts me. JJ was actually stretching, too, and I think she was glad she wasn't the only one.

We finished the stretches and sat down in the bleechers, watching the boys and girls do what they do. The guys were actuall stretching. Then Coach walked in and yelled, "Girls! What are you supposed to be doing?"

The Barbies got in line and started to stretch. Coach noticed JJ and I weren't doing them and yelled, "Marks and Ride, do you believe you don't have to stretch?"

"Don't blow your top, Dean," I said, waving a hand. "We're done."

"Ride, I've told you time and time again not to call me Dean," he said, his hard face red with anger.

"And I've ignored you, time and time again," I replied. His face was redder than blood now, but it was from embarrasment.

Blah, blah, blah, we're all outside at the soccer field and Dean's telling us the rules of soccer and what not. Then he takes volunteers for the first game. Most of the guys stand up, but I'm the only girl. I walk up to the spot Dean told us to go, and snickers and giggles run through the girls side, but I glare at them and they shut up. Lissa actually moves farther away from me. Wimp.

"Max, you sure you wanna go against all the guys?" Dylan teased. Ugh.

"Yeah, I'm absolutely positive. And I'm pretty sure I'll kick your asses from here to next week," I said and he smirked.

"We'll see about that," he said and headed to the field.

**(A/N: Me+sports=absolute disaster. So, imagine an epic sports scene where Max whips there asses so bad they're crying. Or, at least, close to it.)**

All of the guys stared at me open mouthed. I kinda lost count of how many goals I got after six . . . of ten. And I got several fouls or whatever for knocking a few guys on the other team down, but whatever. I whooped their asses into next week. It was fun.

"What?" I asked.

"Er, that was, um, uh . . ." Dean trailed off. "You guys can go and get changed."

I started to walk towards the gym and Sam caught up to me. "Max, that was amazing," he said.

"Thanks," I replied, smiling.

We walked back to the gym in comfortable silence. I changed back into my clothes and went to class.

* * *

I dropped the guys off at home and changed into jeans and a t-shirt that said, 'Zombies hate fast food' and had a picture of someone running and zombies following it. **(A/N: Snorg tees. Funny name. Funnier t-shirts.) **And I throw on some black high tops.

I waited out the three hours by doing my "homework". Really, I was doodling on my notebook. By my doodling, for some strange reason, I remembered the dress Ella and Nudge had helped me pick out. The back showed, and I needed to get my tattoo finished. I wrote the dat angel cam back on the notebook and looked at the clock.

A knock came on the door, and I smiled to myslef. _Right on time._

Fang POV

"Guys, I'm going out!" Max called into the kitchen and I heard the door slam shut.

"Where's she going?" I asked Iggy.

He smirked and went to the pantry. "Going on a date with Sam."

I grunted. Why was I all of a sudden getting the urge to kill Sam in his sleep?

"I'm going up stairs," I told Iggy and slid out from the chair. It was his turn to grunt from his spot in front of the fridge, pulling out random pieces of food and putting them on the counter.

I went out of the kitchen and to the living room where the stairs were and climbed to the second floor. I went into my room and plopped down on my bed, making my laptop jump. Hmmm . . . its been a while since I updated my blog. I turned on the computer and logged on. I could hear Angel's music of Justin Bieber coming from her room so i stuffed my earplugs into my ears and some song I'm too lazy to identify by someone came on.

I logged onto my blog and started to type.

**Yo.**

**Fang here, and I'm bored as Hell. I guess I should tell you where I am since it's been a few weeks since my updateness. Location: Somewhere in Arizona. It's hotter than Hell here, man. Much different than Colorado. My host family is pretty awesome, but I've already told you about them . . . and Max. **

**Max. Sigh. Max is a girl, in case you didn't hear. I think it's short for Maximum, which is kinda weird, but my name's Fang, so who am I to judge? Max is going on a date with Sam. Ugh. He's not a bad guy, but I now have the sudden urge to kill him. None too quickly, either. **

**I have a stalker. She's not really a stalker, but she pretty much won't leave me alone.**

**I'm bored again . . . So, I'm gonna answer some of my reviews or questions or whatever you call them:**

**Deathtobieber: Is Fangalicious like Fergalicious?**

**No, because Fangalicious doesn't exist. **

**Deathtobieber: Wait, don't answer my last question. Is Fangalicious _better _than Fergalicious?**

**Sigh. No, because, once again, Fangalicious doesn't exist.**

**Fanglovr: Do you have a gurlfriend?**

**No, and I'm not looking for one. And why do you spell it with a u? It's not like it makes the word shorter.**

**Pyros ignite: Is Iggy hot?**

**Er . . . he's got a girlfriend, and I'm a guy, and I'm not gay so . . . no. **

**Deathtobieber: Do you love Max? Tank: Of course he does, you idiot! Skid: Yeah, what kinda life is it when they don't love each other? JP: Help me. Me: Answer the question truthfully, Fang: Is Fangalicious better than Fergalicious?**

**Um . . . WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE? And isn't JP a famous author or something . . . And no. I don't love Max. 're not gonna give up on Fangalicious, are you? Alright, fine. Fangalicious is way better than Fergalicious. **

**Spongebob rocks your socks: Who's your favorite Spongebob character?**

**The yellow square. **

**Spongebob rocks your socks: Do you like Spongebob?**

**Yes. Especially because it sounds like Spongeboob. Heh heh. **

**Spongebob rocks your socks: Do you ever have dirty thoughts about Spongebob? **(A/N: Got this from the back of FANG: A Maximum Ride Novel. Found it hilarious.)

**Who doesn't?**

**Deathtobieber: Hmm . . . what you prefer purple or orange?**

**Purple. My hair looks purple in the sun sometimes . . . Alright, you need to stop asking questions. It's getting rediculous. **

**Pyros ignite: Is Iggy hotter than you, Fang?**

**No one's hotter than me. **

**Crazychickwithanadditude: Fang, are you emo? Or goth?**

**Neither. And that name is long. Put some spaces in there.**

**That's enough for now . . . maybe I'll answer some more later. **

**Fly On (Why do I say this? Oh, right, cause its awesome.)**

**Fang.**

I hit the enter button thingy and looked at the little time thingy. It was about ten . . . Max left four hours ago. I started to get worried. What if something happened to her? What if Sam did something? What if-

I heard the sound of a car pulling along the road and sighed. I closed my laptop and quickly went downstairs. I could hear the muffle sound of their voices as they talked, but all I could really make out was 'Good time' and 'Yeah'. I decided I wanted to hear what they were saying, being the nosy little bugger I am. I walked closer to the door but they weren't talking anymore.

I didn't want to be a creeper or anything, but I couldn't help myself. I peeped through the peep hole and what I saw made my eyes widen and my heart to break.

Max POV

After Sam pulled away from our kiss I blushed like crazy.

"That was fun," he said.

I raised an eyebrow. "The kiss or the date?"

He blushed. Man, he blushes easily. "The date."

"Yeah, I agree. See ya at school." I waved and walked in the house. I was surprised when I saw Fang sitting on the bottom step of the spiral stair case.

"Hey, Fang. You didn't have to wait up," I said.

"Max," he said in a hard voice. "Is he ok? Ya know, was he a good guy?"

My brow furrowed on its own accord. "He was the perfect gentlemen, Fang."

He stood up and walked to the kitchen without another word.

_What's wrong? _I thought to myself. And why did my heart break to see him like that?

* * *

**A poem, brought to you by: Me!**

**I laid in Bed last night,**

**In a sleepless slumber.**

**Tick, tock.**

**What usually felt like minutes,**

**Melted away like candle wax.**

**Tick, tock.**

**The moonlight,**

**Giving off shadows,**

**On my bedroom,**

**Walls.**

**Tick, tock.**

**Went the clock.**

* * *

**Skid, Blue, and me: *giggles* **

**JP: What's so funny?**

**Me: *giggles* 3 (sigh. A less than sign is supposed to be in front of the 3.)**

**Tank: How is that funny?**

**Me, Blue, and Skid: *bursts out laughing***

**JP: I do- Oh. Ew, you three are disgusting!**

**Tank: I don't get it!**

**Max: Let me see. *looks at the screen* *bursts out laughing***

**Fang: *look above***

**Tank: I DON'T GET IT! SOMEONE EXPLAIN IT TO ME!**

**- Sanity *giggles***

**(Oh, and Pyros ignite? PI: Yeah? Me: Fang's hotter than Iggy, and Iggy's a pyro maniac so Fang must be pretty damn hot! PI: Damn you!)**


	9. Damn Dress

**JP: Yeah, right!**

**Me: It's true!**

**JP: Nu-uh!**

**Me: Uh-huh!**

**Tank: *sigh* What now?**

**Me: James and I are having an arguement over Switzerland.**

**Skid: What?**

**Me: Well, I think Switzerland is evil. Why else would they stay dormant for so long?**

**JP: And I think they're just a normal, everyday, dormant country. There's plenty of them.**

**Tank: And all they do is make watches and cheese. How can they be evil?**

**Skid: I agree with Sanity. It's just not right . . . **

**Me: Ha!**

**Tank: That proves nothing.**

**JP: Yeah!**

**All of us: *turns to the camera thingy* What do you think?**

**

* * *

**

I sat in my room, on my stool, thinking over what happened Monday night. What's wrong with Fang? What's wrong with me? What's wrong with my _life? _And why does God seem to hate it?

I sighed dramatically and swirled my dirty brush around in the water. I wiped the brush on my dirty painting rag and looked at what I had painted.

What I had painted shocked me. My painting wasn't as good as my drawing, but still I was quite good. There stood Fang and me, on the canvas. My hair was long, and off to the side over my shoulder. It was a dirty blond color with darker brown streaks. My head was turned slightly to the side so you could see the left side of my face. I had wings sprouting out of my back, starting at brown and fading to tan, going to white. And I had no shirt on. You could see the date perfectly. 7/13/7.

Fang had his arms wrapped my waist, which was barely visible, but it was still there. His arms were bare, and so was his chest, which I had my hands on. His olive toned skin was the perfect bronze shade. Sprouting out of his back were a pair of perfect black wings. Where as mine fell down, his spread out at a perfect angle. His dark eyes seemed to be glaring at the viewer of the picture. His black hair went just past where his colar was supposed to be. He looked like the angel of death. Ya know, if the angel of death's girlfriend was the angel of life, but still. Quite simulair.

I groaned. This was not helping. It made me feel terrible about dating Sam and feeling . . . whatever I felt towards Fang. Love? Hate? It was all so confusing. The drama that is my life.

The canvas was as big as a fourty-nine inch plasma. Big canvas, big picture, nowhere to hide it. I groaned again and decided I might as well hide it in my semi-clean closet, where the paints couldn't be destroyed. It was a good picture, I'll tell you that. One of my best paintings.

I walked to my closet and made a clear spot next to my dresser. You couldn't see it if you didn't know it was there. I then brought the picture over, very carefully, and set it down, very carefully. My wood floors were paint splattered and probably always will be, so I didn't worry about that.

Then, I thought, and thought, and thought. This thinking was giving me a migrane. I sighed - I've been doing that a lot - and decided to go for a run. Sure, it was about five in the evening, people were still out, and it was still scorching outside, but what do I care? I think I can handle a few stares.

I changed into a red sports bra, black shorts, bunched what little hair I had up, and put on a black baseball cap with a bar code on it. Today was Thursday, which meant tomorrow was homecoming. Yay. I pulled on some tennis shoes and went downstairs, grabbing my iPod as I went.

"I'm going for a run!" I yelled to whomever might be listening. I walked out on the porch and froze when I saw Fang sitting on the porch swing. I shoved my earplugs into my ears and turned on the iPod touch and strapped it to my upper arm.

I think he tried to say something, but I started to run before he could.

I ran hard and long.

______________________________

_I know what else is hard and long. Fang's-_

Confucius! Since when has your brain turned to these things?

____________________________

_I'm not Confucius, I'm your hormones._

Oh, no. Not you.

__________________________

_Yes, me. Mwahahahahahaha!_

I thought hormones are supposed to be gross, not evil.

________________________

_Oh, we're both._

Then why aren't you cracking up the jokes like Iggy cracks eggs?

______________________

_You haven't set any up yet._

Thank God.

____________________

_That's what you're going to say when Fang finally gets the nerve to fu-_

UGH! I HATE hormones!

__________________

_I'm not too fond of you either, sweet heart._

Then why are you here?

________________

_*shrugs* I needed to bother someone. I get paid everytime you get annoyed._

So you're on a constant pay roll?

______________

_Pretty much. I'm gonna go bother Fang now. _

Wait! Don't bother him!

Guess what I got. Yep, that's right. No answer.

Did I mention that I hate my hormones?

* * *

Fang POV

I sat down on the porch swing, my hands stuffed in my pockets and my head back, my eyes closed. Why did life have to be so hard? I had the feeling I had fallen in love with Max. And I had fallen none too lightly. It's like when you fall down and you're not prepared for it. It just makes the surprise all the much worse.

I herd feet pounding on the cement and opened my eyes. I looled at the street and saw Max. She had her earplugs in, and she was breathing heavily. Max bent her knees and put her hands on them, taking deep breaths. She had sweat running down her stomach, where you could see slight traces of a six pack. The sweat made them shine in the fading light and-

Ooooh, you want her soooo bad.

Ah! Hormones! *makes cross with fingers*

__________

_Psh. Like that's going to do anything._

Oh, shut up hormones! You don't want me to go in there!

__________

_Actually, yes, we do. We want you to go in there very badly. _

You're disgusting.

_That's what Max is gonna ________say. _

That's disgusting.

______

_Another one. _

You're getting good.

____

_Do I have to say anything?_

I'd rather you didn't.

I heard the pounding of footsteps as Max came up the porch steps. I didn't know what I was doing until I was in front of the door she was about to open. What was I doing, what was I doing, what was I-

I grabbed her shoulders and she seemed startled. "Fang, le-" But I cut her off with my lips.

Max POV

Oh, God. I'm a terrible, terrible person. And I know it. I know damn well what a terrible person I am.

And I was enjoying being my terrible self at the moment. One of Fang's hands was on the base of my spine, and the other on the back of my neck, so I couldn't move. And I was enjoying it. I closed my eyes and moved my lips in sync with his.

Oh, what a terrible person I am. But, still, I stayed where I was, and didn't even try pushing him away. Finally, we both needed air. He pulled back, and so did I.

"Max-" he started to say, but I was quick with what I did.

I could feel my eyes welling up with tears,even though I had no idea why. I pushed pass him and into the house. I then ran up the stairs to my room, and slammed the door shut. I walked over to my bed and fell down onto it, face first. Then I screamed. And screamed. And screamed. I screamed until my throat hurt, and my headache had returned to the front of my head, just on top of my brow. I closed my mouth and turned onto my back.

Why do things always happen to me?

____

_

* * *

_

Today was casual day. I dressed in a pair of dark blue skinny jeans, knee length black converse, and a light blue t-shirt that said, 'Hold your horses. Even horses need to be held sometimes.'

Since tonight was homecoming, I was going to Ella's right after school. I was gonna drop the guys off at the house - not including Angel, who seems to have more knowlege about makeup than I do. How did that happen? - and then go over to the girls'. They'd dress me, doo-de-da, and we'd go to homecoming. Blah, blah, blah.

I ate breakfast along with Fang, the Igster, Gasman, and Angel. Of course, Jeb was there, but I think he was paying more attention to his coffee cup fill with about a gallon of caffeine than his own children and temporary child.

"Let's roll," I said and grabbed my messenger bag. The guys followed wordlessly and got into the truck.

Fang and I haven't talked about the kiss, but the tension was still there. And the guys could feel it. I knew because Gazzy didn't even touch my radio.

When we got to school, Sam was immediatly at my side.

"Hey, Max," he said, smiling.

I returned it with a small grin. "Hey, Sam." I grabbed his hand and laced my fingers through his. I didn't feel the sparks I usually felt with him, I didn't feel the sparks I felt with he-who-shall-not-be-named.

No, not Voldemort. He and I are on a first name basis by now.

V: 'Sup, Maxie?

M: Eh, not much. Just that I'm pretty much in love with two guys, one of them lives with me, and the other one's too nice for his own good.

V: Nice. Harry's getting on my nerves. Can't fucking kill him!

M: I feel your pain.

V: Is this group therapy session over? I have a world to take over and a wizard to kill. Not necceasrily in that order.

M: Yeah, I understand. Got to take over the world! I'll support you.

Harry: Hey!

M: Sorry, Harry. But the dark side has cookies.

H: But the dorkside has cake!

M: . . . Nah, I'll go with the cookies.

H: Damn.

"Yo, Max!" Fang said and clapped his hands in front of my face. "You awake? You kept mumbling something 'bout Harry Potter and Voldemort . . ."

I blinked in surprise. "Uh, sorry."

Sam's eyes were filled with worry. "You alright, Maxie?"

I grinned the ghost of a grin. "I'm fine."

We waited in silence for a few Iggy said, "Fang, can I talk to you for a second?"

Fang nodded and they walked over to the other side of the school yard. I could see their lips moving, but couldn't make out what they were saying.

* * *

Ugh. I'm starting to regret letting the girls' dress me and whatnot. Guess what they were doing. Go on, guess. Well, since none of uou are guessing, they're putting makeup on me. Makeup and I go our seperate ways. We don't get along. I hate it's zit causing guts, and it hates my almost always clear skin. I think I had about five zits all together when I went through puberty. That's it.

Everytime I tried to look in the mirror, Ella would slap my neck. "Sit still or we're going to have to do this again!" I soon sat still.

"Finally, we're done!" squeeled Nudge.

"Finally!" I yelled and they let me look in the mirror. That . . . wasn't me. That can't be me. It just can't.

I poked my own cheek, and, sure enough, the mirror's image poked her cheek.

"Well hot damn," I mummered.

"Hot is right, my friend. Hot is right!" Nudge said.

"Max," Angel said. "You look beautiful."

I smiled into the mirror. I couldn't even take my eyes off of the figure.

The dress was an electric blue with black fabric underneath. The dress went down to my ankles, and had the strip of black fabric covered my chest, and had two strips of ribbon going down my back. I had silver heels on, and a dark silver ring shaped like a tree with black jewels on the bracnches.

But that wasn't what had surprised me. My eyes had the smokey look with silver eye shadow, and they had applied black eyeliner that was barely visible. My lips were painted the same electric blue as the dress. On normal days, I'd say it looks like I've been kissing the snow, but now it was . . .

"Awesome."

The girls squealed and went to put the finishing touches on their makeup and what not. I still stared at the mirror image. I hadn't thought the dress would be this slim fitting . . . Seriously, I thought it would be loose and comfortable. No. That's not how dresses work these days. It hugged whatever curves I had, and whatever. Nudge had said I had a body girls would die for, and I found that funny.

What? Would they show off their new found curves at their funerals? She laughed at that.

Fang POV

We waited imaptiently for the girls to come down. How does it take them three hours to get ready? Well, Max is with them. That girl . . .

"EEP!" Nudge, Ella, and Angel squealed, coming down the stairs. Nudge had straightened her hair and it fell down her back, and her skirt dropped just above her knees. She was beautiful in the sun colored dress and I saw Iggy swallow hard. I know what else is hard for him . . . Ha ha, Iggy. Ha ha.

Ella cleared her throat, and we all turned our attention to her. "Introducing, the reformed, brand new," she dropped her voice to a whisper, "but not new attitude, MAXIMUM RIDE!"

Well holy flying shit. The girl that was coming down the stairs was definetly not a girl. This was a _woman. C_urves and all. This time, we _all _swallowed hard. Iggy probably because he wanted to strangle any guy who touched her, and Ari - who I didn't really like -, Sam, and I for completely different reasons.

"You're going to swallow flies," Max said, hands on her hips. "It's like you guys have never seen a girl before. Geez."

Our mouths closed within a split second.

Ella thrust a black handbag thing into Max's hands and said, "All your money is in here, your car keys, blah, blah, blah."

At least, that's what I heard. I was too busy staring at Max. Damn dress ruining my almost perfect cover of not loving her. Damn dress.

* * *

**Disclaimer in Poetry form:**

**I do not own MR,  
Nor do I own a car.**

**Switzerland is not in my posession,  
But its evilsness is my obsession.**

* * *

**We're all too upset about the Switzerland arguement to talk. But I think JP and Tank are making plans for world domination. We should do that too.**

**Skid: YEAH! Switzerland first!**

**Me: No, you silly goose. First we take over Canada, eh?**

**Skid: Eh.**

**Me: Sorry for the shortness of this chapter. It's all part of our world domination plan! And if you're Swiss, I don't blame you. I blame your natural evilness.**

**Skid: Breaking news, Switzerland has made a watch. RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! **

**Me: AHHHHHHH! *runs around***

**(Sorry . . . crazy brain blood rush . . . thing. Contact for further information.)**

**RnR?**

**- Sanity**


	10. I Swore

**Tank: Holy crap. Your desk is a mess!**

**Me: Yeah, so? You didn't care until now.**

**Tank: Yeah, but this is serious, Sanity. Your desk is basically accumulating paper, books, pens, notebooks, and- wait. Is that a piece of pizza?**

**Me: Yeah, so?**

**JP: ALRIGHT! This is insane. I see at least twenty pieces of stray paper, an ice cream bowl, and water bottles on your desk. I'm cleaning it!**

**Me: Please, no straightening up da mess on my desk. You gonna jam up my system!**

**Tank: What system? It's just a bunch of random pieces of paper you jot down note-**

**Skid: Shhh!**

**Me: Don't tell the Swiss people my system, you idiot! They'll find me!**

**Tank: I thought we were over this . . . ths Swiss aren't coming for you! They are peaceful people.**

**Me: Then how do you explain the Swiss army knife?**

**Max: *looks up from her poker game, which she's winning* She's got you there.**

**Me: HA!**

**Disclaimer in Poetry Formish (I could get used to this): **

**If I owned MR,  
I'd be rich.**

**If I owned Switzerland,  
I'd be evil.**

**Which I am,  
But you already knew that.  
Didn't you,  
The Swiss?**

**Tank: *head desk***

**Me: Oh, and Okay so? Max in no way resembles me. I have dark brown hair, and naturally its still a light brown. My hair is down to my shoulders and Max's is up to her ears. I'm not going to say anything about this being cliche or whatever because cliche is how I do things until something comes along. **

**Get. Over. It. Wait, why am I even writing this? You reviewed chapter fucking two! Why would you read anymore than you had to to label this a cliche? Huh? Why would you?**

**I ask all my readers to read the _whole_ story before you made a bad review about it. I do that. But I rarely make bad reviews. Thanks, peoples! **

**Why did I do a disclaimer? This is an A/N! I swore I'd never do this. But I need help. I want to do homecoming, but I have no idea how. And how should Max and Sam break up?**

**It's writers constipation. I tried writing it two different ways, but both suck. So I need help. I'll take anything.**

**- Sanity **


	11. Max's Andventure's in California

**Oh, gummy bears. You are delicious _and e_ntertaining. **

**Tank: What?**

**Me: Heh heh. A gummy bear flipped off Katy Perry.**

**Skid: How do you know that?**

**Me: Well . . . one of her songs is mentioned in the chapter, and I decided to watch the video. That was just a weird experience for me. Who knew candy could help her be represented as a slut? Oh, wait, I did. **

**JP: Of course you did . . .**

**Me: And who lays on a bed of cotton candy naked? And then eats said cotton candy? While I was watching that I was thinking what if she peed on it?**

**Tank: Oh, thanks. I needed to now that.**

**Me: Yeah, you did. OH! Good news! I'm writing on my laptop! The virus is finally gone, and I don't have to use the home computer, so I don't ahve to worry about my mom reading what I write. It would be my down fall.**

**Disclaimer of the winged: I don't own them. Geez. I'm not sending mixed messages like Max here, people! I clearly stated that I don't own them. But I wish I did . . .**

* * *

Sam and I were dancing, in the middle of homecoming, when he just blurts out, "Max, I love you."

I was speachless. I loved him. I did. But . . . not in that way.

When he realised I wasn't saying it back, his face fell and his arms went limp by his sides. "Go away."

"Sam, I-" I tried to say, but he pushed me and I almost fell, but thanks to my super duper sense of balance - even in these heels - I was able to stay up.

"Go." He walked away, and I just stood there for a second in shock. But I got over it and walked over to the table thing that I had my purse on. I sat down on the chair and put my elbows on it. I put my head in my hands and closed my eyes. What did I just do?

Someone put a hand on my shoulder and I jumped. "Max, are you ok?" I recognized the deep voice as Fang's.

I looked up and nodded. He didn't seem to believe me, and grabbed my hand.

"Fang, what are you doing?" I asked as he pulled me through the gym.

He shrugged and continued to pull me through the gym.

"Can you at least tell me where we're going?"

He shook his head and I swear he smirked. I sighed and let him pull me out of the gym and to the courtyard off of the gym.

"Whoa," was all I had to say. There were trees in this courtyard, and little twinkling lights were laced through them, looking like stars. You could just hear the soft, slow music coming from the gym. We were the only ones here.

Fang turned me around and put his arms around my waist. I hesitated, but my arms around his neck. We gently swayed back and forth, just looking at each other.

_He should wear a tux more often, _I thought to myself. He chuckled and I blushed. "I said that out loud, didn't I?"

He chuckled again and nodded. "You should wear a dress more often. But I'm not too sure about the blue lipstick . . ."

I sighed. "It wasn't me, I swear."

"Ella and Nudge?" he asked.

I nodded.

"Your lips look much better pink," he said.

"Been looking at my lips, have you, Fang?" It was his turn to blush. "Well, your cheek look much better tan."

"What?" he asked, then I kissed his cheek. It left a blue lip mark.

"Oh, ha ha," he said and tried to wipe the blue lip stick off and I laughed.

"You only managed to smear it," I told him.

"Great," he said and we stopped talking for a minute. He looked into my eyes and whispered, "Your lips are still blue," then he started to lean in. His lips barely brushed against mine when the door to the gym opened and we jumped back. Iggy was glaring at Fang, and I took that as a sign that I should get out of there, ASAP. And I did.

It was like I moved faster than the wind.

* * *

A week. Its been a week. Its been a week since homecoming, a week since Fang and I almost kissed, a week since Jeb decided we all needed a vacation from our hectic lives. We're going to California on Friday. Or, at least, we're trying to get there on Friday. Our terrific little town lives right on the boarder of Arizona and California so its only a few hours drive if Jeb goes really, really fast in the car.

On Monday and Tuesday our teachers have a class they have to take or something so we have a four day weekend, meaning Jeb deiced he wanted us to have a break. Can't blame him. I love it when we go to the beach. I like the water. But I don't like the crowds.

Right now, I'm packing clothes because the second we get home Jeb wants to leave. I managed to convince him to let Ella and Nudge come. Mom was reluctant, but eventually agreed to let them come.

So . . . fun. Yeah.

Let's just hope they don't make me wear a bikini. *shiver*

* * *

Fang POV

"Finally, we're here!" Max yelled and jumped out of the car. Several hours in that car/truck/van/whatever witel singing Gazzy singing the constipation song in the exact same voice as the dude who sings it and Angel the song that never ends. At the same time.

Gazzy got out after her, then Angel, then Iggy, then Nudge, then Ella, then me. Its like going on a field trip . . . We even got stares from people. We were pretty weird. They probably never saw a family of seven - Jeb included - and we were so mitch-matched. No offense, family. See how much I've grown to like them?

Jeb said, "Let's go check into the hotel." He popped open the trunk door thing of the SUV **(A/N: Me no good with cars. Choose whatever car you want that can fit them all.) **and pulled out the duffel bags and backpacks. We slung them over our shoulders blah, blah, blah.

The girls have their own room, as do the guys. I immediately picked the bed closest to the window, and pretty much fell asleep before my head hit the pillow.

The next day

We're going to the beach. Finally. I've always heard it was real pretty, but never really been there myself. And the girls were taking forever. WHy does it take them so long to get ready? We're just going to the beach. Geez. Iggy's going to be real happy. Beach bunnies+Iggy=happy him, even though he has a girl friend.

I pounded on the door with my fist. "C'mon!" I yelled.

Angel opened the door right when I was about to knock again and popped her head out. "Sorry, Fang. But we're trying to convince Max to wear a bikini."

At that, my ears pricked up like a cat with tuna being hung right in front of its face. Max+bikini=happy me. Its like Iggy and beach bunnies . . . Before I could say anything, I heard a crash that sounded a lot like glass.

"Well that can't be good," Angel said and slipped through the door again. "Holy cra-_bs_!" She poked her head through the door again.

"Nice save," I told her, grinning

"Thanks," she said. "This might take a while. You can leave without us." Then she disappearred back into the mysterious girls room, and I heard the click of the lock.

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair, which had really grown out. I walked over to the guys - Jeb included (who should really wear a shirt) - who were waiting at a bench down the hall. "Angel says they're going to be a while. They're trying to get Max into a bikini."

Jeb frowned, Gazzy shivered, and Iggy glared at me, reminding me of the little convo we had during homecoming. _Touch my sister and I kill you. _

Sure, Iggy and I were pretty tight, but he and Max . . . they're twins, and have always been there for one another. And I don't blame him for being over protective. If I had a sister - which I pretty much do now, thanks to Angel - I'd be just as protective, and probably break the first guy's nose who's eyes even landed on her. But thats just me. Iggy, on the other hand, will beat them to a pulp. He probably told the same thing to Sam.

"Angel also said that we should leave without them," I added. They started to look really impatient.

Jeb said, "Alright! The girls know where we're going, right?" I nodded. "Great! We'll just meet them there."

And then we were off, at the beach, and relaxing. I didn't like the way some of the girls were looking at me, though. It made me feel like a fresh piece of meat at the butcher's shop. The beach wasn't as packed as what you always see on TV or whatever, but it was still pretty crowded.

Someone cleared their throat behind us, and I wouldn't have recognized Max if it wasn't for Nudge and Ella flanking her, and Angel holding her hand. One word: Damn_. _

They had somehow managed to get Max into a bikini that was black with red polka-dots on it (Really? They couldn't come up with a better word? It makes my testosterone level drop to, like, negative a hundred.) They had a red tank top on top of it, but I could see the straps thing. And stuffed her into short, short, _SHORT _cut offs. I didn't know they made them that small. She had black glasses on that completely covered her eyes. Her pretty, brown eyes . . .

Max flopped down on the beach towel and pulled her iPod out of the short's pocket (how did it fit?) and brought a sketch book out of her bag. She brought out a pencil and started to sketch the beach, I'm guessing since she looked up every forty seconds or so. Why is it so hot?

I pulled my shirt over my head and let the small breeze run over my bare chest. Oh, how poetic of me. Maybe I should make my living off of this . . .

I noticed Max gawking at my eight pack and smirked. She blushed redder than the tank top, then smiled evily.

"I'm going for a swim," she said and pulled the earbuds out of her ears, the cut off off (that sounded weird), and the tank top above her head.

I take my one word back. Make it this word: _DAMN. _I swear, the bikini was only string. On the butt of the bottom part of her bathing suit - no, I wasn't looking; I just happened to see it - was a little cartoon devil. I was practically drooling, and I think Iggy's eyes must be hurting from glaring at me so much.

Ella and Nudge wolf whistled, making Max laugh and walk over to the water, catching the attention of several other teenage boys. I felt like ripping their throats out. But Max was already diving into the waves before she could see their eyes following her.

Hormones, what am I to do with you?

_Well, you could just hook up with Max already. Its getting quite boring just waiting for you to build up the nerve. _

Not happening. Iggy would kill me.

_I think it's be worth it._

And I don't. I'm not in the mood to die, thank you very much.

_I know what you're in the mood for._

Seriously? Did you have to ruin my vacation?

_Its my job._

I sighed and looked over at Max's empty towel, which was now accompanied by three others, meaning Angel, Nudge, and Ella had joined her. Max's towel only had her iPod and sketch book. My fingers twitched to flip through the sketchbook, but I waited until Iggy had left to go to the water. I picked up the book and my mouth litterally hit the sand.

Not at her drawing ability, which was freaking amazing, but what most of her pictures were of. Go on. Guess.

_Me._

Max POV

When I got out of the water, I went to our spot on the beach and picked up my extra towel. I dried my hair with it - or at least I tried to. I pulled my shorts back on and sat down. A few minutes later, some guys walked up to me and stood in front of my towel. Great. Guys. Fan-freaking-tastic.

"Hi," one who had blond hair said. "We wanted to invite you to a beach party we're having tonight."

I licked my finger and flipped the page on my book. "Mm-hm."

The other one, the smoother one with chestnut hair, said, "You and you're friends can come too." Then he winked at me. "Feel free to wear as little clothes as possible."

I raised an eyebrow into my book. "Mm-hm."

"See ya here," Chestnut said and winked again. How can I tell he winked when I was looking into my book? I've got mad skills. Mad skills.

Chestnut and blondy walked away, a swagger in their step like they were the kings of the world. Dear God, what has Jeb brought us to?

Nudge, unfortunetly, heard the whole conversation. "ZOMG, Max! That is, like, so cool! They were seriously hot and totally into you. We should totally go to the beach party tonight! It would be so much fun! Please, Max, please?" I made the mistake of looking at her. Damn Bambi eyes . . .

I sighed and flipped the page on my book. "Fine, but only for a few minutes. And Angel and Gazzy can't come."

"Angel and Gazzy can't go where?" Iggy asked, magically appearing behind Nudge.

I was about to say something, but Nudge beat me to it. "These guys came up to Max and asked her to go to the beach party they're having tonight, and Max said we could go for a few minutes only. Won't it be so fun? OMG, Ella and I should totally dress Ma and mhph fhmph."

"One," Iggy said, "please, baby, try not to talk so much. My head hurts." Nudge glared at him. "And two, we're not going to the party."

I raised an eyebrow. "And since when do you call the shots?"

"Since some guys invited my sister to a beach party," he said and sat down on the towel next to Nudge's.

"Iggy, stop being so over protective. You know very well that I could kick their asses into next month."

He shrugged. "You're still my sister."

"And I'm still older," I said and closed my book.

"Yeah, by two minutes."

I waved a hand. "Still older."

"Not."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"No."

"Yes," he said.

"Ha!" I said and pointed a finger at him. "I win. You admitted it. I'm older."

He glared at me.

"I think it's an excellant idea," Fang said next to me.

"Gah! Where did you come from?" I asked him, basically jumping two feet in the air.

"Well, when a man and a woman love each other very much-" he started, but I cut him off.

"Don't be a smart ass. Make some noise when you move!" I told him and slapped his arm.

"Whatever, Max."

"So, its settled," Nudge said, joining us in the conversation. "We're going to a beach party."

"Jeb won't let us," Ella said. Where are they coming from, really? **(A/N: I feel your pain.)**

I grinned. "Who said we were telling Jeb?"

* * *

I looked at the strip of fabric the girls had shoved into my hands. Oh, wait. That's a pair of shorts and a tank top . . . woopsies.

"Ha ha, no," I said and rummagged in my bag for a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. I only managed to find my deoderant. Where are all my clothes?

"C'mon, Max," Ella said. "It'll be fun!"

I scowled and looked under the beds for my clothes, having no luck.

"Please, Max," Ella said and I looked at her. Dammit, dammit, dammit . . .

I huffed. "Fine." I put on the clothes and the black flip flops they handed me. It looked pretty nice, despite the fact that I had way too much skin showing.

"Lets go," I said.

And that's how we ended up at a beach party.

Chestnut walked up to me and said, "Hey, glad you could make it." Then he handed me a beer bottle.

"Thanks," I said and tipped the bear top towards him. He smiled and when he was gone, I threw the beer bottle somewhere in the sand with a thud.

Nudge, Ella and me stayed together, but the guys were with each other. That sounded wrong.

_California Gurls _by Katy Perry came on from a radio somewhere and I rolled my eyes. Stupid slut . . .

"C'mon, Max! Let's dance!" Ella said and dragged me over to where a bunch of people were dancing.

Nudge and Ella started to dance, but I said, "Yeah, I don't dance . . ." Then tried to slip away. But this is my life and I never get a break.

"Just dance, Max!" Nudge said and I sighed. I started to jump up and down on the balls of my feet, and threw my hands up. I was having fun . . .

Sometime during my dancing time, I started to laugh for no apparent reason. Soon, Nudge, Ella, and me were on the sand laughing.

I don't know why, but who ever turned down a good laugh?

* * *

**It was weird writing this chapter. I wrote the first part during my writer's constipation, and the other in a chi mode when all of my energy was flowing freely or something.**

**And this is not the end of Max's Anventures in California. Stay tuned for the next episode when Max gets in trouble with the law. **

**Mwahahahahahahaha!**

**- Sanity**


	12. Cinnamon

**We're sick.**

**Jimmy P.: And she made sure we all got sick. *sniffle***

**Tank: We can't go one minute without sniffling. *sniffle***

**Skid: *sniffle* This is my first time being sick with this girl. I didn't realize it was so bad. **

**Me: *sniffle***

**Disclaimer: You a bunch of tet duhs (hard heads). I don't own.**

**Me: Hey, why does my snot look a lot like a rain cloud?**

**JP: Why are you looking? *sniffle***

* * *

"Max," Nudge said and from the giggle she was trying to hide I knew this wasn't going to was going to be good. "I dare you to ask Fang what type of underwear he wears."

"WHAT?" I asked and I was so shocked I actually fell off the bed. Angel, Nudge, and Ella giggled and Angel helped me get back onto the bed. "Why don't _you_ ask _Iggy_?"

She grinned. "I already know."

"Oh, oh, oh, bad mental picture. Oh, God! It burns!" Angel yelled and pretended to claw at her brain.

I rubbed her back. "I know, sweety." I shivered. "I know."

"Go, on, Max," Nudge prompted. "All you have to do is ask him. It's not that big of a deal. And you don't even need proof."

I sighed. "Might as well get it over with," I said. I got up off the bed and walked over to the joining doors between the girls room and the guys room.

Let me explain. After another dayat the beach, we all retired to the rooms. Well, I wasn't planning on retiring when everyone else was, But we'll cross that bridge whenm we get there. Anywho, here I was, knocing on the guys door. I was hoping it was Fang so I could just ask him.

But no. If you've been keeping track, this is my life we're talking about, not Cinder-freaking-ella. It was Jeb who opened the door. Nudge, Ella, and Angel were giggling so hard I thought they might just die.

"Hey, Max," he said in that overly cheery way of his. "Need something?"

I muttered a yeah and walked into the room. I looked for Fang and saw him sitting on the bed, Iggy sitting next to him tinkering with something made of wires . . . that better not be a bomb.

"Hey, Fang?" I looked down at

"Yeah?" he asked and took a sip of water. I saw him do it through my bangs.

"Um . . . what kind of underwear do you wear?" My whole face was hotter than Hell. Hey, how exactly can Hell be hot, anyways? If heat travels up, shouldn't Hell be cold? Oh, whatever. Let's hget back to the present, shall we?

I looked up and saw Fang do a spit take, Iggy's eyes to widen, Jeb to become luntaic like, and Gazzy to start rolling on the floor with laughter. I heard Angel, Nudge, and Ella fall to the ground and pound on it with their fists, begging the laughter to stop.

"Um . . . why?" he asked slowly.

"Will you just answer the question?" I asked, mortified.

"Fine, I wear boxers. Happy?" I nodded and ran out of there, closing the door to the girls room behind me.

"I can't believe you made me do that!" I yelled at Nudge. I flopped down on my back. "That was so embarrassing."

"Ah, its ok, Max," Ella said. "He'll just think we dared you to do it."

I shrugged. "It was still embarassing." I grinned. "Well, its my turn."

Nudge paled. "What are you gonna do to me, Max?"

"Oh, not to you, dearest." I looked at Ella. "Ella, a dare you to go into the boys room, get on one knee, and in your best facy romeo voice confess your undying love for . . . " I let her imagination take hold of her.

"Jeb?" she guessed.

My grinned turned to a Cheshire Cat "Much worse. . . . Gazzy."

She gulped. "Please, Max. Don't make me do it. Please."

I shook my head. "Nope. I had to ask Fang what kind of underwear he wore, so you have to confess your love for Gazzy."

She took a deep breath and walked over to the connecting door. She knocked on it, and who was to open it but Gazzy. She got on one knee and said - in her best Romeo voice - said, "Zephyr Gasman Ride," she swallowed hard. "I am in love with you. I always have been, and I always will be. Please marry me, my dear Gazzy, and we'll run off into the sunset together!"

His eyes widened and he said, "You girls are so weird. I'm starting to worry about you. Next thing you know someone will have a voice in their head." Then he slammed the door shut.

_Too late,_ I thought.

"He rejected me," Ella said in mock sadness. "I might as well go and fall into a deep black hole or crawl under a rock and die!" She pretended to fall to the ground and clutched her aching heart, giving out cries of agony every few seconds, while we were laughing so hard tears were coming out of our eyes.

We did a few more after we calmed down, but they were mainly truths.

At twleve we finally settled down because Angel had fallen asleep in my lap. I laid her in the bed we shared and tucked her in, then climbed under the covers with her.

"Night, guys," I told Ella and Nudge, and they mumbled goodnights. I waited for about half an hour until I heard Nudge snoring and Ella talking to herslf in her sleep.

I jumped out of bed and pulled a black hoodie over my t-shirt, and a pair of black skinny jeans on. I pulled on black tennis shoes and slung my back pack that was loaded with spray paints over my shoulder. I think you know where I'm going with this.

Before exiting the room swifter than a ninja, I looked in the mirror and smirked. Even I wouldn't mess with me. I grabbed where my iPod was supposed to be and my wallet and exited the hotel room.

* * *

I stood in the empty alley, looking at the wall. It was relatively blank, despite the terrible attempts at grafittit. Psh. It was basically just a bunch of squiggles and lines, intersecting each other. It looked like sometghing a three year old would draw. I pulled out a blue spray paint bottle and pressed play. _Billionaire_by Travie McCoy came on and I jumped. This must be Ella or Nudge's iPod . . .

I shrugged and popped the cap open, and started to paint my name. Maximum.

Danno the cop POV

**(A/N: Yeah, I named my cop Danno. Is that a problem?)**

Gage and I watched from the shadows at the girl dressed in all black pulled a spray paint bottle and popped open the cap, and started to spray paint the wall. I couldn't tell what she was doing, but her eyes were glazed over and her hands kept on moving . . .

"Is it time?" I asked Gage from ther passenger seat, anxious to catch the girl. She had to be eighteen. She just had to be. She was so tall.

"Let's give her a few more minutes," Gage said. Really, I think he just wanted to see what she was painting. I was kinda curious, too. Her hands moved with such grace and elegance and trhey were so fast I was almost msemerized by the pattern she was creating.

_Snap of it, Danno! _I scolded myself. She's a criminal. I watched as she stepped back and admired her work. She's done already? Then Gage turned on the sirens.

Max POV

The sound of police sirens pierced through my earbuds and I jumped, dropping the spray paint I was holding.

"Shit," I said. Well, there wasn't much I could do now. They were right frickin' there. And I can't run faster than cars yet. Soon, but not yet.

One of them came out of the cop car and said, "Freez!"

"I'm not moving, dumb ass," I replied, rolling my eyes.

He came behind me and put handcuffs on my wrists. Isn't it illegal to arrest a minor? But I probably don't look lie a minor.

"What are you? E-" the guy was in the front now, and I cut him off.

"Well, last time I checked I was human, but hey, anythings possible," I replied in fake enthusiasm.

"No one told you to be a smart ass," he siad in annoyance as we rolled down the roasd.

"Well no one told me not to be," I said, venom lacing my words.

"Will you two shut up?" the older cop said. "How old are you, girly?"

"Sorry, I was told to shut up," I said.

"Well, I'm telling you to talk," he growled.

"Nah," I said and propped my feet up on the other back seats. "I like the quiet."

We drove to the police station in silence, except for the old man grumbling to himself about disrespectful kids. I rolled my eyes and got out when the younger one dragged me out of the cop car, none too gently, either. He pulled me into the police station which was filled up with grumpy old men eating doughnuts and drinking coffee.

The younder guy shoved me into a cell with a few scantilly clad women and one really tough looking one. She had tattoos running down her arm and her hair was cropped short to her skull.

I stayed close to the cell doors until the old cop showed up, opened the doors, and handed me a coin. He pointed to the pay phone next to the cell door and said, "You get one phone call." He grinned, showing yellow teeth. "Choose wisely." He sat at the desk across the pay phone, looking up every once in a while to make sure I was still there. Where would I go?

I dialed the number I knew that would get me in the least amount of trouble and he answered groggily, "What?"

"Heh heh, hey Fang . . . I kinda got into some trouble."

Fang POV

"You _did what?" _I whisper/yelled, getting up and putting on a pair of jeans over my shorts. I'm going to kill that girl . . .

"You heard me. I spray painted on a wall and it got me into big trouble," she said.

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair, fully awake now. "Alright, start from the beginning."

"Well, in the beginning there was nothing. Then God-" I cut her off.

"Dammit, Max. This is no time to be a smart ass. Where's the police station. I'll come bail you out or something."

"Erm, Fang . . ." she sounded worried.

"Yeah?" I said and pulled a shirt above my head.

"You kinda have to be eighteen to bail someone out."

Oh, just great. "I can get Jeb to do it."

"No, he'll kill me," she actually sounded worried when she said.

"_I'm _going to kill you." I stuffed my wallet into the back pocket of my jeans and silently stuffed my feet into a pair of sneakers. I grabbed a hotel room key from the bedside table thing and stuffed that in my pocket, too. I put my jacket on and said, "I'll figure something out. Where's the police station?"

She told me where and added, "Hey, Fang?"

"Yeah, Max?" I slipped out of the hotel room and walked/jogged down the hall.

"Thanks." Then she hiung up.

Max POV

I waited for about thirty minutes before Fang got here. I was laying down on one of the benches, my knee bent and on leg and one arm hanging off the side, the other arm draped across my stomach.

He talked to the cops for a second before someone said, "Hey, it's Harrison's boy!" I raised an eyebrow at the gray ceiling and continued counting the numbers in my head. I had already gotten to nine-hundred. Whoopdie-doo.

"You mean the blond chick in the black hoodie?" a cop asked. "You're with _her?_"

I could feel the vibrations as Fang nodded. It was so weird.

"Well, don't mess with her. She took down one of the toughest looking girls we ever had in here."

I smirked. Tattoo girl wouldn't shut her mouth . . . so I shut it for her. She only has a broken jaw. Not that bad.

The cell door slid open and I could hear Fang slide in. "C'mon, Max." Fang's deep voice echoed in my head, much better than tha damn paper rustling and feet moving sound that was driving me insane.

I sat up and was eye to eye with a seriously pissed Fang. You couldn't see it in his facial expression, which was almost always blank, but in his eyes.

I stood up and followed him out of the police office.

"Fang, I know you're uber, uber pissed at me," I said. There. its out.

"No. I'm just pissed that you woke me up at two in the morning."

"Liar," I told him.

"That bad?" he asked.

I shook my head and we just walked down the road till we hit the sand. "No, you're a pretty good liar. But you're also easy to read."

He snorted. "Yeah, right."

We continued walking. "Seriously."

He turned to me. "I've been told by many, many people that I'm one of the hardest people to read."

I looked up at him. "Not to me."

He turned back to the water, which had some huge waves going on.

"Lets get your anger out," I said. I shed my hoodie and took off my sneakers.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"We're going to fight," I said.

"You're insane," he said.

"That's how I roll. Its just wrestling. What can go wrong?"

He raised an eyebrow but sighed and took off his shoes.

"Ready?" I asked.

He nodded, but still looked at me like I was crazy.

"Good." We started to circle each other, wary of the others movements with eyes like cats.

Finally, after what felt like hours, he feinted left, but really went right. I was expecting it from him. I caught him off guard by grabbing his wrists and trying to get him to the ground, but it didn't work. He was too strong.

He actually managed to get me to the ground first, pinning my wrists over my head one leg on either side of me. I was trapped.

I grinned and started to lean upwards like I was going to kiss him. It had the affects I wanted. He loosened his grip on my wrists, and started to lean forward. I slid my hands from his grip and pushed on his chest, pushing him away from me. He fell to the sand and I sat on his chest. I pinned his arms above his head and looked at him.

"So . . . you're dad's a cop?" I asked.

"FBI. He's not home that often. Big in the FBI," he said.

"Better not tell him about me, then," I said and slid off him. I laid down in the sand and looked at the tiny little stars.

"Why wouldn't I?" he asked and I looked at him.

"Well, I don't exactly fit FBI standards. I just got arrested, for Pete's sake! And who the Hell is Pete?"

He chuckled. "You're just like him, though. Sarcastic, stuborn."

"Hmm . . . who does that remind me of?" I asked and tapped my chin thoughtfully. "Oh! Right. The guy whos sitting right next to me."

He smirked.

I looked back at the sky and tried to ignore how freaking close he was.

"I guess we better go back," I said and looked at Fang. Big mistake.

The second I looked at him, his lips crashed onto mine. You know how I said he smelled like cinnamon a few weeks or days or whatevers ago? Well, that's what he tastes like. Cinnamon.

* * *

**Awww . . . *sniffle***

**All together now: Awww . . . *sniffle*******

**(Not my best work. I needed fillers)**

**- Sanity**


	13. Some 'Splaining To Do

**I am super pissed at the weather. **

**Tank: Er . . . why?**

**e4[Me: It was raining earlier today and it isn't anymore! GRR!**

**JP: Are you growling at the weather? You'd think I'm used to her bipolar like behavior, but I'm not. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Maximum Ride characters, but I do own the plot. Which will be leaving California in this chapter. My writing isn't as good in California, for some strange reason. Blame the lack of characters. **

* * *

I was tempted to pull back and run, but Confucius was too quick for me.

_Go with the flow, Max. Go with the flow . . ._

And that's what I did. I went with the flow. The flow of his lips.

And _damn. _He's a good kisser. I never understood how you could be a good kisser. I mean, its just kissing. But now I understand when people say someones a good kisser. And did I mention he was a good kisser?

I knotted my hands through his silky hair - can a guy's hair be silky? - and he pulled me closer to him. And, unfortunately, after about a minute of not breathing (I had forgotten I had a nose. Woopsies.) you need air. Damn lungs. Couldn't you wait for another minute or two?

We pulled back, breathing hard, and my brain came up with one word, "Wow."

He smirked and pulled me closer to him, if that was even possible. "So . . . no more running?"

I smiled and put my head on his chest. "Yeah, no more running."

He kissed the top of my head, and as if my body parts had minds of their own . . .s, my lips were jealous. Yes, jealous. It can happen.

"We probably shouldn't tell Iggy," he said after a few minutes of silence.

"Why?" I asked. Well, this didn't make me feel bad about myself _at all _. . .

"Well, um, he kinda talked to me about this," he said.

"Ah. Let me guess. 'Keep your hands off of my sister unless you want to loose them.'" I looked up at him.

"Something along those lines," he said. "But he said nothing about my lips . . ." Then he kissed me. Again. But this is not a complaint.

After a few minutes of kissing - and remembering to breath through my nose - I could see the sun starting to peak over the horizon through my closed eyelids. I stayed out all night?

I pulled back and Fang pouted. Just the tiniest of pouts, but still a pout. I laughed and ran my thumb across his bottom lip and he shivered. And I will admit that brang me joy.

"We should go back to the hotel if we ever want to live again," I said and stood up. Fang nodded and took my hand I was offering to help him up. But instead of just standing up, he jumped up and gathered me in his arms.

"Hm." He started to lean to kiss me but I put my index finger on his lips before they could touch mine. He raised an eyebrow.

"If I kiss you," I said and removed my finger, "I probably won't be able to stop."

He smirked at my confession. "Good to know I'm addictive."

We walked/ran to the hotel in silence. Jeb was gonna kill us if we weren't there when he woke everyone up.

Luckily for us, everyone was still asleep. I sighed and shed my shoes and jeans, and slipped on my shorts. I got into the covers next to Angel and was about to close my eyes when I heard Angel say, "Nice of you to join us, Max."

My eyes popped open and stared at her. She giggled. "Don't worry. I won't tell."

I smiled and kissed her forehead. "Thanks, Ange." I then closed my eyes and let the darkness swallow me,

Tuesday

Fang POV

**Yo. Its Fang. **

**I fucking kissed Max. And she didn't run. Fang: 1. Universe: 1,256,873. . . . Damn. Game over, you lose! You win *drumroll please* . . . nothing!**

**But, still. I kissed Max. But don't tell Iggy. I get the drift from him that if he finds out about me and Max I won't be having children anytime soon. **

**I. KISSED. MAX. Everyone got that? Good. And I'm happy as a clam. Hey, how can clams be happy? And I was wondering: To all my past religion teachers (I haven't had a lot, but they all said the same thing): If animals have no souls, then how come we have souls? And how come we're going to heaven if we're really just animals evolved? **

**That, my friends, is what I believe you'd call a pwn.**

**Gotta go. We're heading back to Arizona today.**

**Fly on. **

I hit the enter button and waited for it to load. Then, I turned it off and closed it.

"You girls ready?" Jeb asked through the joining doors.

"Yeah," Max said, coming into the room. Her eyes flickered to me, but turned back to Jeb before anyone noticed. "We're packed."

"Alright!" Jeb said. "Let's get going!"

Max rolled her eyes and we checked out of the hotel, then piled into Jeb's car like clowns. Me, Max, and Angel in the back, Iggy, Nudge, and Ella in the middle, and Gazzy in the front. How he got that seat I have no idea. But I'm next to Max, so I'm happy.

After about thirty minutes of silent car riding, Ella comes up with a brilliant idea. "Hey! How 'bout we play I spy?"

Max raised an eyebrow. "Really, Ella? Really?"

Ella looked at her. "You got a better idea?"

Max was quiet.

Ella smirked. "Thought so. I'll go first. Hmm . . . I spy something green."

Max tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Is it a tree?"

"Yeah. You're turn, Max," Ella said.

Max looked at the back of Ella's head. "I spy an annoying little girl."

I chuckled.

Ella turned to Max and flipped her off.

"I'd put that finger down unless you want to lose it," Max warned her. She put the finger down.

I don't think we'll be playing eye spy for a while.

Max POV

Fang and I are together. Yes! I didn't realize I'd be this happy about it. Yeah, I love the big emo.

But Iggy is so overprotective its not even funny. Its a mystery he let me date Sam and Dylan. I will never understand boys. They're so confusing. But Fang and I agreed it would be better if the relationship was secret. You don't agree? Well, bite me.

After hours and hours in a car since day break (seriously) we pulled up to the house, which had cop cars in the yard.

"Oh, no," Jeb said and put the car in park.

Jeb ghe FBIot out of the SUV, and we all quickly followed him.

The popos swarmed around us, and a familiar voice said, "Jeb Ride, you are under arrest for illegal expirements on animals and humans."

Anne.

She's back.

And she got some 'splaining to do.

* * *

"Please, sit," Anne said, motioning for us to sit at the kitchen table.

"I'd rather not," I said iciliy and leaned against the counter. "Explain before I kick your skinny white ass out of my house and three states over."

When we got here, Jeb was arrested for illegal experiments. Apparently, he was working for the Ter Borcht Typo guy all along. Yipee. My dads a criminal.

Anne sighed and sat down at the table. "I married your father when I was young and in love. I didn't know the specifics of his job, just that he was a scientist. A few months after Angel was born, I found out about what he was doing. So, I ran away. I was young and foolish. I left you here because I thought you'd be ok. And, obviously, you were."

I hmphed. Yes, we were perfectly fine, Anne. Angel was just kidnapped and gone for three years, but we were fine.

"So, I ran away. Joined the FBI. Tried to convince them my ex-husband was doing illegal expiriments. Obvioucly I didn't. When we found Ter Borcht, I found the lead to Jeb. To here."

Silence for a moment. Then, I said, "Wow. Most of the time they run away to join the circus, not the FBI." I walked out of the kitchen and outside.

How could she just walk away and come back and expect forgiveness? She's just a big, fat b-

"Max," Fang said, putting a hand on my shoulder. "You ok?"

I shook my head. I didn't trust my mouth not to throw out a jumble of insults and curses. He hugged me. I wrapped my arms around him and put my head on his shoulder.

"Its gonna be ok. You know that, right?" he asked and I nodded.

Anne's gonna be on a tight leash from now on.

* * *

**Good news! *sniffle* ANGEL won't be the last maximum Ride book. Yes! Wikipedia is very informing, along with the author here.**

**Tank: I didn't really like this chapter.**

**Skid: *sniffle* It wasn't my favorite, either.**

**JP: *write, write, write* *sniffle***

**RnR?**

**- Sanity**


	14. Wicked Bitch of the West

**Ari: I don't know exactly how many there will be 'cause jamey won't spill the beans. I don't even think he has a plot for IGGY yet. Yeah, the name's Iggy.**

* * *

**I gotta lip ring!**

**Tank: Is it permanent? ! ? !**

**Me: No, sadly.**

**Tank: Phew. If it was permanent, mom would kill you, then kill me for letting you get it. Then, she'd fnd out about JP, bring us back to life, then kill us. Again. **

**JP: Geez, your mum sure is violent.**

**Me: No, she's actually a very nice person. In reality she'd probably kick my ass from here to next week, then throw me out of her house. **

**Skid: Yet she lets you wear the fake lip ring in public . . .**

**Me: My step dad said it reminds him of things people put on their dogs and we should put a chain on it. I still like it, even though its weird eating . . . I keep licking it to make sure there isn't any food stuck in it or something.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own. Get that through your heads, will ya? I'm tired of having to write this.**

* * *

I was in English, bored out of my mind. Ugh . . . Blame global warming, the color pink, Miley Cirus, and Justin Faggot Bieber.

This lecture just went on, and on, and on, and on. I somehow managed to zone out of bits and pieces of it, but every time I came back int it hit me with another wave of boredom. I think a kid just fell asleep. I don't blame him. I'm about to follow in his footsteps.

The bell finally, finally rang, and I threw all of my stuff into my bag and flew out of the classroom. I went to my locker and stuffed the books onto the shelf and my other books into my bag. I walked over to the lunch room and patiently got in line. Nachos, beef jerky, a soda, and an apple. Yes, I'm very health conscious. That apple will really help me in the future.

I stuffed the beef jerkey into my bag and hoped they wouldn't sniff it out. They're like animals . . .

I walked over to the table and sat down. We conversed lightly, joked around, ya know, that is until a guy walked up to Ella and said, "H-hi, E-ella." Ohh, he's got it _bad_. And he's gonna get it bad . . .

"Hi, Jeremy!" Ella said, always the chipper one. She has no idea. "Need something?"

"Do you wanna go to a movie with me Saturday night?" he blurts out and Ella's stunned.

But she recovers quickly. "Sure! Pick me up at seven." Oh, my litte girls all grown up.

He smiled and said, "Alright." Ella waved as he walked over to the table of boys, who slapped him on the back and congratulated him.

Oh, if he hurts her . . . "I'll be right back," I said before I knew what I was doing.

"Max, what are you-" Ella started but I was already walking over there.

I slammed my hands palm down on the table and leaned down, surprising the boys sitting there. They actually jumped. It was fun.

"Hi!" I greeted cheerily. "Look, I'm happy if Ella's happy." I narrowed my eyes and made my voice more menacing. "But if you hurt her, I swear to God there will be no great-grandchildren _to_ feel it, catch my drift?"

I got the satisfaction of seeing them cross their legs and shiver. Oh, it's good to be a girl.

"I said, catch. My. Drift?" Wow. I didn't realize hod badass that sounded until I said it out loud. That is just freaking awesome! Most of the time it has the opposite effect.

He nodded and gulped. "Yes, ma'am."

"Good!" I said and skipped away. Yes, you read me right. _Skipped. _I must be losing it. But it just adds to make me seem more looney, so what the Hell?

I returned to the table and sat down at the table and bit into my apple. People were looking at me funny . . .

"What?" I finallasy asked.

"What did you say?" Ella asked, at the same time Iggy asked, "Did you just _skip_?"

"Ella," I said between my apple. "I might have implied that I'd kick him in the balls if he hurts you in anyway, shape, or form." Iggy and Fang winced and I smirked. "Ane Iggy, it just makes me seem more loopey to them, so what the Hell?" I took another bite of my apple.

"You sure are insane . . . " muttered Ella.

"I heard that," I said.

"You were supposed to."

I shrugged and took the last bite of my apple. Now its time for the good stuff . . . I pulled the beef jerkey out of my bag and opened it. They fell on like dogs to, well, beef jerky.

Fang snatched about half the bag and I said, "Hey, stop stealing my food!" And grabbed the piece he was about to stuff into his mouth. "Mine." I handed him a piece. "Yours. You need to learn how to share, Fang." I popped the piece of beef jerky into my mouth and savored the deliciousness.

"How do you do do it?" Ella asked.

"Do what?" I asked, popping another piece of beef jerky into my mouth. Its better than bacon. Seriously. Beef jerky: Bacon, but better. Better bacon.

"Your beef jerky always seems to taste better."

"Heh heh." I popped another piece into my mouth. Hey, where'd my food go? I looked at Fang and glared at him. He grinned sheepishly and handed me a piece.

"Geez, Max. Keep your head out of the gutter!" Iggy exclaimed.

**(A/N: Tank: Hey, I don- ooooohhhhh. Heh heh. I'll never be able to look at you the same way, beef jerky.)**

I shrugged. Again. I've been spending way too much time with Fang . . . Oh, wait. That's not a bad thing. Now you're probably wondering how we do it. Well, ya see, Angel kinda already knows. She sort of walked in on us making out. Not a good time for me. Anywho, Iggy spends most of his time with Nudge anyway, so its not that hard to hand out in my or his room. And by hang out, I mean talk, kiss, or I draw and he talks, or we just sit in silence. That's just how we roll. Then, we kiss some more. But everytime we do, its like fireworks being set off in my brain. Serious. This is Iggy approved fireworks, not crappy fourth of July shit.

And when we talk, we learn we have a lot more in common than we thought. Favorite bands, movies, blah blah blah. Yeah, I love the big emo, as I've said before.

"Max," someone whispered in my ear. "Time to go to class, Max." When that didn't work, the someone kissed me. I jumped out of my own little world and looked at a smirking Fang.

"Nice of you to join me. Its time to go to class."

"Oh," I said and stood up. Huh. That cafeteria was empty. How did I manage to get through that?

I dumped my plate in the trash can and we headed off to class.

* * *

Fang POV

I heard a small knock on my door and looked at the clock. I had been trying to sleep for three hours? I sighed and threw the covers off of me. I opened the door and found Max standing there.

I smiled at her. "Couldn't sleep?"

She shook her head. "You?"

"Nah. Are you coming in or what?"

She smiled and slipped into the room. She flopped down on the bed and stared at the dark ceiling.

I laid down next to her and wrapped my arms around her waist. Max turned to me and traced my bare chest with her finger, making me shiver. And then she started to move up until her fingers were tracing my lips, making me feel like a puddle of black mush. It really sucks how a girl can do that to you. It really, really sucks. And it makes it even worse when it seems you can't do it to her.

"Max," I said.

"Yeah?" she asked, not moving her finger from my bottom lip.

"I love you." There. I said it. It had been gnawing at me for ages.

She smiled. "Yeah. I love you, too."

Max POV

I kissed him lightly, but that wasn't enough for me or him. I crawled on top of him, so I was straddling him and placed my hands on his muscular arms. I pressed my lips harder to his, and he didn't hold back. He slid his tongue on my bottom lip, begging for entrance. I granted. Our tongues fought for dominance **(A/N: This seriously just made me think of a bunch of tongues with swords.)**, until I finally gave up and let him explore my mouth. I could feel his muscles moving as his hands tried to lift my body free of the menace that is a shirt. Why does society make you wear these things? I decided to help him, just a wee bit.

I whispered in his ear, "Fang, it buttons." He groaned but started to make his way from the top to the bottom, ever so delicatley, his hands lingering on every button. I, personally, think he's trying to feel for my bra, but I don't really care.

Then, all of all things that could happen, Fang decides to turn the tables. And flips us right off the bed. Crappiest ending of a makeout session, _**EVER.**_ Ya know, unless zombies decide to come at our brains or soemthing, but so far - worst ever.

"Well," I said and started to stand up, "that sucked." Fang nods in agreement.

I yawned. "I'm actually tired now."

"Who knew kissing would tak it out of ya?" he asked and chuckled.

"Let's just go to sleep," I suggested and climbed back into Fang's bed, after buttoning my shirt back up. I fell asleep in Fang's arms.

The Next Morning

I woke up in the morning, seriously close to Fang. I was fisting his shirt and his arms were wrapped tightly around my waist. Ahhh . . .

Then the alarm went off.

"Max," Fang said grogilly. Every time I use that word it reminds me of gorillas. "Its time to get up."

I moved closer to him and his arms around my waist tightened. "A few more minutes."

He nodded and rested his chin on my head. I rested my head on his chest, and I was just happy when I heard, "What the Hell is going on here?"

My eyes snapped open.

Iggy.

. . .

. . .

. . .

. . .

. . .

Damn.

Iggy POV

Fangs alarm clock had been ringing for two minutes straight . . . I decided, me being the nice person I am, to wake him up. If he didn't get up soon he was gonna be late for school. As was Max . . .

I walked to his room and knocked on the door. No answer. I knocked- no, pounded the door. No answer. I decided to just go in. Then, I decided I was going to kill my best friend.

_Calm down, Iggy,_ I told myself. _That could be Fang._

Yes, because Fang all of a sudden had the urge to bleach his hair and wear a shirt to bed. And unicorns prance through medows of sugar plumbs and cotton candy and Max all of a sudden decides Anne is her favorite person in the world. Puh-lease.

"What the Hell is going on here?" I all but yelled. Max jumped, and Fang remained as emotionless as ever.

Max propped herself up on her elbows and squinted against the light. "Well, Iggy, as you can see, I'm laying in a bed with my boyfriend."

Oh, yeah. He's toast.

"You are so dead," I growled and lunged for his throat. Unfortunetly, Max was too quick for me. The caught my hands and twisted.

"Ow! Ow, ow, oooowwww!" I howled in pain. "Max, let me go! Let me go!" I pulled my wrists out of her grasp and lunged fo Fang again, who was on his feet by now. I managed a punch in the gut and a fist to the face before Max pulled me off of him.

"Will you stop trying to kill him?" Max yelled. "And they say I'm the crazy one."

Saturday

Max POV

Iggy and Fang made up. Boys. Are. So. Confusing. I will never, ever understand them. But yet I love them so.

"Hmm . . . I wonder if they made Jeb shave off his mustache in prison," I said when an Oxie Clean commercial came on. Its never been the same since Billy died . . .

"Yeah, they probably did," Iggy said.

"You could hide razor blades in that thng," Fang agreed.

"It looked like a caterpillar crawled up his lip and died," Gazzy said.

Angel added, "The thing gave me the creeps."

"See," I said, motioning towards Angel. "Even the eight year old knows pedo 'stache is creepy."

"A what 'stache?" Angel asked, an eyebrow arched.

"I'll tell you when you're older," I told Angel and sank deeped into the couch, which meant Fang tightened his arms around me. "Remember when we shaved half of the mustache off?" I ased Iggy.

"Yeah, that was fun," he said and laughed. "He went to work like that because he was in a rush. That was funny."

We all laughed.

Later

"Sooo," Nudge pulled out the word like it was the longest int he world. I'm not even going to put all the os that were probably in the one word. "How did the date go?"

Ella grinned and laid down on on my bed. "It was fantastic! He was so, so, so, so, so, so, so, nice; he opened the door for me when he first picked me up, then he opened it for me after the movie and he bought all the drinks and snacks and popcorn then he drove me home and opened the door _again_, then he kissed me on the cheek goodnight and made sure I got inside the house before he left and he said he was gonna text me soon, and I'm so excited I don't think I ca-"

"Ella!" I yelled. "Breath! Deep breaths. In, out."

She took a few deep breaths and turned to Nudge "How do you do it?"

Nudge smiled. "It takes skill, my pupil. Skill."

Remember, the majority of Ella's rant was one sentence that could be turned into about a gajillion.

"Hey, Max," Anne's voice rang from my door. "Can I talk to you about something?"

I hit the pause button on the remote for the iHome thing **(A/N: Do they have remotes? Well, we're gonna pretend they do.) **"Do you want to have a heart to heart, mushy-feely mother daugter conversation about our feelings and then we could, like, braid each others hair and, like, go shopping and stuff?" I had aimed for the prep voice, and I had hit my target. I think Nudge was actually a bit jealous of my awesome prep girl voice abalities.

She sighed, and I think rolled her eyes. "No, I wanted to talk to you about Iggy."

"Oh." I looked at Nudge, who was just as confused as me. "Well? What are you waiting for?"

Anne opened the door to my room and looked at the awesomeness that is my room.

"You always were a great artist, Max," Anne said, moving to my drawing/painting/whatever banch where I was working on a charcole picture of Fang.

"Ahem," I said. "I don't think what you're doing counts in the Iggy category."

She sat down on the drawing bench that had once served for on as a piano, but now served as a stool of sorts. She started to flip through the pages. "I was thinking about bying Iggy a car."

Ella,Nudge, and I shared a glance, and bursts into laughter. "Ha ha," I said. "Yeah, right." I looked at Anne's face to realize she was completely serious.

"You can't keep towing him around, Max," she said and set my sketch pad back down on the easel. On the wrong page. That's what pisses me off about people. You leave something open, and then they change it.

"Wanna know what happened the last time Iggy drove a car?" Anne nodded. "He managed to crash it. In under two minutes. And do you really want to give Iggy an excuse to have gas on him at all times? Do you really want to?"

She shook her head. "Then he doesn't need a car. You're dismissed."

She stayed where she was.

"That means you can leave, Anne."

She left.

"Finally, the wicked bitch of the West is gone," I said.

* * *

**I'm bored . . .**

**Fang finally admitted his feelings.**

**And Iggy is . . . bipolarish.**

**Yeah.**

**And the gang really loved beef jerky. Hmm . . . ya know what would be good? **

**Tank: I'm afraid to ask . . . what?**

**Me: Beef jerky . . . at midnight.**

**Skid: What are we? In some crappy spy film?**

**Me: _Ye-ah_. Why do you think we kidnapped the famous author whom Steven King thinks can't write? Base (you), I've gotta question. **

**Base: Roger?**

**Me: . . . No, this is Sanity.**

**Base: Positive.**

**Me: No, I'm not positive. I alternate between personalties every once in a while.**

**Base: Roger.**

**Me: No, no. Roger's scheduled for next week.**

**Base: *sigh* We were trying to do this like proffessionals, Sanity. What's your question?**

**Me: Will you review?**

**Base: Roger.**

**Me: *head deask***

**- Sanity or Roger, I'm not positive.**


	15. Pippy Gothstockings

**OH. MY. GOD. I'VE GOT A GENIUS IDEA!**

**Tank: Run, runaway and don't look-**

**Me: Beef jerky the musical!**

**Skid: With hot European guys as the beef jerky!;**

**Me: It belongs on Broadway. Quick, you call up some hot Europeans and I'll get the jerky!**

**Skid: Ye- _Hey! Not _cool! **

****

**Earth vs. Disclaimer: I don't own MR or the world. But that's only because we have made no progress in the war. I think its because my general just sits on his butt all day eating doughnuts.**

**JP: Don't judge me. **

**This takes place in the eigth and ninth of October because I lost count of the days so . . . yeah.**

* * *

I doodled on my notebook in homeroom and wasn't really paying attention to the after school announcements until the big, bulk of fliers landed on my desk.

"Pass these around the classroom, will you, Miss Ride?" Henry said.

"Yeah, sure," I muttered. I stood up and started to put the lime green fliers on each of the student's desks. When I stopped at mine, at the back of the class, I almost squealed. But I don't squeal. What was the flyer for? The state art competition, that's what. My eyes flickered to Fang, and I saw him looking at me, smiling. Like, a real smile. Not just a half smirk or grin or all that good stuff, but a _smile. _I returned the smile and held his gaze.

"Miss Ride, Mr. Harrison, please stop making googly eyes at each other and pay attention to the announcements," Henry said, and I blushed, sliding down in my seat. My eyes flickered to Fang, and I saw his cheeks had tiny roses on them, and he as well had slid down in his seat.

"As I was saying . . ." Henry talked on nad I zoned him out. One thing was running through my head: _Fang, Fang, Fang, Fang, Fang, Fang, Fang . . . _and on and on and on. It was quite sad, really.

The bell rang and I gathered my stuff up and quickly made my way to my locker. I dumped my stuff in there and waited patiently for Fang to make his way through the halls. When he did, he smiled at me. I returned it.

I waited patiently for him to get his stuff, which didn't take long, and we set off down the hall. Yes this is boring, but whatever.

When we got to my car, Nudge and Ella immediately fell on me like a pack of hyenas. (is that how you spell it?) "OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD! Did you guys get the fliers in homeroom, did ya? Like, that would be so cool if Max was in that and placed! That would be so awesome! Like, she would win fiver-hundred dollars and the art would be put in the art museum! Oh-" She was cut off by Fang's hand. I laughed at her.

"Yes, we did get the fliers," I answered her. "Yes, that would be very cool. And awesome, but I don't know how I could get anymore awesome than I already am."

She rolled her eyes, Fang smirked, and Ella giggled. Iggy, Angel, and Gazzy decided to then grace us with their presence.

Angel immediately ran up to me and looked up at me with her beautiful blue eyes. "Are you gonna do the art competition, Max?"

I hesitated. Like I said before, I don't like people looking at my work. But Angel gave me Bambi eyes. I sighed and said, "I guess I can come up with something."

She squealed, along with Nudge and Ella.

"Can we go home now?" Gazzy asked.

"You wanna sleep over?" I asked Nudge and Ella, even though I already knew the answer.

"Duh!" they responded in sync.

And that's how we all ended up sprawled across the living room floor, watching some TV. The Oxie Clean commercial came on and I groaned.

"I hate the new Oxie Clean guy!" I exclaimed. "I miss Billy."

Fang raised an eyebrow at me. "Should I be worried about this?"

I shoved his arm. "Oh, shut up." I stuffed a piece of Chinese in my mouth and wiped my mouth with my sleeve.

"Ugh," Nudge said. "Can't you use a napkin like a normal person?"

"No," I answered in deadpan voice and stuffed more Chinese into my mouth. Then just to annoy Nudge, whiped said mouth with my sleeve.

"You have some stuff on the corner of your mouth," Fang said. Oh, nice one. Cliche, but nice.

I licked the corner of my lip and he shook his head. Then, he swooped down and kissed me. See? Told ya it was a ploy.

After a moment of kissing, Iggy cleared his throat and said, "Lets try to keep this PG or something close to it. These kids don't need to be living in an R rated movie."

I pulled back from Fang, and glared at Iggy. "Whatever. Take your own advice, Igster."

I looked at Angel and frowned. She was trying very, very hard to stay awake. "Ange, its eleven-thirty. Time for bed."

She groaned and threw her arms up. "Carry . . . me."

I chuckled and hoisted her up, bridal style. "'Course, kiddo."

I carried her out of the living room and up the stairs to the second story. I opened the door and winced when I saw her room. All pink, all the time. I removed the curtains from around her bed and sighed when I saw them. It was just a jumble of blankets, stuffed animals, and most of her clothes. But she's awlays like warm, small places.

I gently laid her down in the mess of fabrics and tucked her under a loose knit blanket. I kissed her forehead, and said, "Love you, Angel."

"Love you too, Max," she mumbled. "Wake me up when its time?"

I chuckled and nodded. "Yeah, I'll wake you up." But she was already asleep.

Two Hours Later

We looked down at Fang's sleeping form and giggled like maniacs.

"Sh, sh," I told them. But, that only made us giggle harder. Fang stirred but didn't wake up, and he was snoring slightly.

"Alright, alright," Ella said.

I picked up a single lock of his thick black hair and waited for him to wake up and start asking questions. But, he didn't wake up, only snored a little heavier. _He's such a cute sleeper, _I thought to myself. _Snap out of it, Max! _Part of me didn't want to do it, but the other did.

"What are you waiting for?" Ella asked.

"Nothing," I responded and brought the scissors down on his hair, closing them with a _snip. _

Fang POV

When I woke up and lifted my head, it felt a whole lot lighter. _Weird . . ._

I looked at Max, who was already awake, next to me on the living room floor.

"G'morning," I said.

She giggled. I was worried now. "You look good."

I raised an eyebrow. "Um . . . thank you for the random compliment."

She giggled again. "You're welcome."

"I'm gonna go to the bathroom," I said slowly and stood up, leaving a giggling Max behind. I don't think we have any drugs in the house . . .

I walked into the kitchen to find Anne sitting there, making a cup of coffee.

"Mornin', Fang . . ." she said, but trailed off. Her coffee cup was over filling now.

"Morning, Anne," I replied and looked at her funny. What is everyone's problem today?

I walked down the hall and went to the bathroom, fully intent on doing what I did every day. Shower, teeth, blah blah blah. But when I passed the mirror, the reflection that looed back wasn't mine.

"What did you do to my hair!" I yelled and I heard laughing from the living room.

* * *

Max POV

"I can't believe you cut off my hair . . ." Fang complained, rubbing the back of his neck. I rolled my eyes from my spot on the bench.

"You look good. Like a European guy. And a plus, you don't have Justin Bieber hair anymore. And it was almost past your shoulders." I replied.

Sunday: Fang and I are in my room. I'm on the drawing bench and Fang's on the swarm of blankets I try to pass off as my bed.

"European?" Fang asked, chuckling.

"Yeah," I said, continuing with my charcoal drawing. "Europeans are hot."

He rolled his eyes. "So . . . art contest?"

I sighed and shook my head, knowing exactly what he was talking about. "I haven't decided yet. I don't know if I want to enter a painting or a drawing. Any ideas?"

He shrugged. I got off of the stool and walked over to him, bringing a smaller sketch book with me. I laid my head at the foot of the bed and my feet at the head.

"You are so helpful," I said. We sat silence for a second until I sniffed and almost gagged. "Your feet stink."

He scoffed. "Yours don't smell like a basket of roses, either."

"Ah, did I hurt your feelings?" I asked.

Suddenly, he was on top of me. Literally. Not a complaint, just a comment. "No," he whispered, his cinnamon breath spreading over my lips.

I set my sketch aside and ran a hand through his much shorter hair. "Really? Because I think I did."

He shook his head.

"Prove it." And he did. He crashed his lips down on mine and I tangled my hands through his hair, which was hard because it was shorter, but it worked. I latched my legs onto his hips and switched the situation. I was on top of him and his lips were under mine. He ran his tongue along my bottom lip and I granted entrance.

After a moment of French kissing, someone said, "AH! My eyes, they burn!"

I looked up and saw Gazzy standing there, hands over his eyes. "You can open your eyes now, Gazzy."

He shook his head. "Are you off of him?"

I sighed and got off of Fang. "Yes."

He peeked through his fingers and took his hand away from his eyes. "I'm not sorry to interrupt. But Nudge wants Max to go shopping for Halloween." I noticed how he avoided eye contact.

"No, no, no, no," I said. "Tell Nudge no."

"Nudge, she said no!" he yelled down.

"Tell her yes she is!" she yelled back up.

He turned to me. "She said yes you are."

I rolled my eyes. "So I heard. I'm not going!"

"Oh, yes you are!" Nudge yelled, stomping up the stairs.

"Yeah, I'll see ya later," Gazzy said, dissapearing down my stairs.

I looked at Fang, who put his hands up, palms facing me. "I want no part."

I glared at him. "You are so much help."

He smiled at me and pecked me on the lips, leaving me wanting more. I glared at him, then Nudge bursts into my room, "Maximum Elizabeth Martinez Ride, you are coming with me right now!"

* * *

"I can't believe you're making me do this . . ." I muttered, following Nudge, Ella, and Angel down the isle of the Halloween store. "I always dress as the same thing for Halloween."

Ella shrugged. "So? Its time for a change, Max. Move along with life . . ."

Nudge squeeled like a school girl. "Angel, you should totally be an angel! Like, you look so much like one already and you'd be such a cute Angel and you have that bear dressed as and Angel and mhph fphm." She was cut off by Ella's hand.

"And . . ." Ella said. "You'd look so cute to all those little boys in your class."

Angel had a look of disgust on her face. "I don't like any of the boys in my class. And they don't like me. Especially Michael." She wrinkled her nose.

"Ah, young love," I said, putting a hand in front of my heart.

"Nu-uh!" she said.

"Uh-huh!" I replied.

"Nu-uh!"

"Uh-huh!"

"Nu-uh!

"Uh-huh!"

"Nu-uh!"

"Uh-hu-"

"Its hard to tell who the real child is here," Ella said, rolling her eyes.

"I'm a child at heart," I said.

"Better not tell that to Fang . . ." she muttered, and I slapped the back of her head. "Ow."

"You deserved it," I replied, sticking my tongue out at her. Notice who's been quiet? Yeah, thought so.

"OMG, I have the perfect costume for Max!" She yelled and I shushed her. "Sorry . . . But, as I was saying, you should totally be Pippy Gothstockings."

I raised an eyebrow at her. "Don't you mean Pippy Longstockings?"

She shook her head. "Nope." She shoved fabric and plastic into my arms and pushed me into the changing room. I sighed and changed my clothes into the costume.

"Oh, no, no, no, no," I said.

"Let us see," Ella sqeeled.

I sighed and walked out of the dressing room.

"Oooh, looking hot, Maxie!" Ella complimented, waving her face with her hand.

"You'd look so cute to all the biys in your class!" Nudge said, giggling.

"Especially Fa-ang," Angel added, making kissy faces at me. Nudge and Ella joined in and I groaned.

Angel giggled and skipped down the isle, singing something in her delicate as glass voice about 'sweet, sweet revenge.'

I goraned again and stormed back into the changing room.

Its official. I hate my family.

* * *

**What should Fang be for Halloween?**

**Speedos or trunks?**

**Tango or free stylin'?**

**Max never met the flock or was kicked out?**

**Should I do a x-over?**

**BEEF JERKY or SUPER-HOT EUROPEANS? **

**Choose wisely, my friends, for the fate of the world rests on your shoulders.**

**Skid: I choose the SUPER-HOT EUROPEANS. Cute guys with accents are awesome.**

**Tank: *trys to have and English accent* Hello, love.**

**Me and Jamey p.: Epic fail. *laughs***

**Me: I love hearing English people say 'hello'. It sounds like 'Ello', which reminds me of Jello, which makes me hungry. Damn English people making me hungry. Damn them.**


	16. I Hate This Costume

**Hiya my peeps. That's what our English teacher calls us. He rocks.**

**Skid: Yeah, he's pretty cool.**

**Tank: He's got awesome stories.**

**JP: He ceases to amuse me. **

**Me: I'm gonna give you the answers to my questions in the previous chapter that I found most interesting, blah blah blah:**

**What should Fang be for Halloween?: A POTATO - Moe6swimmer**

**Speedos or trunks?: Theres these guys on my swimteam that always wear speedos and they are like amazing swimmers and stuff but those speedos make them look UGLY. Once I saw a fat guy with a speedo. I was scarred for life - Moe6swimmer**

**Tango or free stylin'?: Tango - Scarlet Daydreamer (I think that's the only person who put Tango so woop-ee!)**

**Max never met the flock or was kicked out?: Never met um - Moe6swimmer**

**Should I do a x-over?: Sure - Moe6swimmer (The x-over would be St. Trinians and MR, by the way.)**

**BEEF JERKY or SUPER-HOT EUROPEANS?: SUPER-HOT EUROPEANS who have BEEF JERKY with them all the time for some reason - Ally D. **

**If one of you ever goes to Europe, go up the the first SUPER-HOT EUROPEAN GUY you see and ask him if he has any beef jerky on him. If he does, take it, run around in a circle, and scream to the world, "I've got it! We're all saved!" Then eat the beef jerky, go to the computer ASAP, and review to this chapter. Then everyone around the world will celebrate and rejoice with SUPER-HOT EUROPEANS and BEEF JERKY.**

**Disclamer: Mes dont owne. I aslos donte owne a dictionrie. Ovioucily. **

**Second Disclaimer: I don't own the song. I love it, but I don't own it.**

**October 29.**

**

* * *

**Fang POV

"C'mon, Fang!" Iggy said, pounding on my door. "Stop fixing your hair and lets go!"

I sighed and buttoned the last button on my - guess what? - black shirt. Black jeans, black button up shirt, black high tops. Blacks in this season, didn't you hear?

"Hurry u-" I opened the door and stopped Iggy mid pound. Well, that sounded gross. Ignore my last sentence. You're not ignoring it, are you? You people have sick minds. I'm seriously grossed out by how twisted my head and your head and every other teenager's head is out there. Lets hope our kids do better than we did, or we're all screwed.

He grinned. "Nice to see I can pull you away from the mirror. But that really should be Max's job . . ."

This is the thing about Iggy. One second he's making sex jokes, the next he's telling me to not put a hand on his sister, and then he's back to the sex jokes. He's, like, bipolar.

I punched his arm. "Ow, what was that for?" he asked, rubbing the spot where I hit him. I didn't hit him that hard . . . Ok, maybe I did, but he needs to suck it up.

"Crappy sex jokes," I replied and walked down the hall and down stairs.

Max and the girls - minus Angel, who was playing a video game with Gazzy and Anne, who was cooking dinner - were waiting at bottom steps, all ready for the Halloween dance. A smile lit my face when I saw Max.

She smiled, walked over to me, and said, "Hey, handsome."

I wrapped my arms around her waist and replied, "Hey, gorgeous." She blushed scarlet and I gently pressed my lips to hers.

Iggy, Nudge, Ella, and Jeremy made gagging noises behind us, and Max removed one of her hands from my hair, I'm assuming to flip them off. I did the same.

We pulled back from each other and Max grabbed my hand. I fell in love with the girl with chocolate eyes, and I fell _hard. _

"Will you two save your little love fest until after the dance?" Nudge asked, but she had a smile on her face.

Max smiled up at me. "I guess."

Then we were off, flying down the road. Not literally, of course. But that would be cool. Ya know, to have wings. I lost my train of thought . . . Oh, yeah. The dance.

Max and I basically hang out around the sidelines, talking and eating. A lot of eating. Max went through five of those little Oreo packets, and I went through six. We make a good team.

Then, a song I knew from the radio came on and I smiled. "Lets go dance, Max."

She smiled and let me pull her into the crowd. "Sure."

We stopped and I put my hands on her waist and she put hers around my neck.

I leaned down and whispered/sang in her ear:

_You're better than the best,  
I'm lucky just to linger in your light.  
__Cooler than the flip side of my pillow,  
That's right._

_Completely unaware,  
Nothing can compare to where you sent me.  
__Lets me know that its ok,  
__Yeah, it's ok.  
__In the moments where my good times start,  
To fade._

_You make me smile like the sun,  
Fall out of bed,  
Sing like a bird,  
Dizzy in my head,  
Spin like a record,  
Crazy on a Sunday night._

_You make me dance like a fool,  
Forget how to breath,  
Shine like gold,  
Buzz like a bee._

_Just the thought of you can drive me wild,  
Oh, you make me smile._

_Even when you're gone,  
Somehow you come along.  
Just like a flower poking through,  
The sidewalk crack and just like that.  
You steal away the rain and just like that . . ._

_You make me smile like the sun,  
Fall out of bed,  
Sing like a bird,  
Dizzy in my head,  
Spin like a record,  
Crazy on a Sunday night._

_You make me dance like a fool,  
Forget how to breath,  
Shine like gold,  
Buzz like a bee,_

_Just the thought of you can mae me wild,  
Ohh, you make me smile._

_Don't know how I live without you,  
Cause everytime that I get around you,  
I see the best of me inside your eyes . . .  
__You make me smile._

I was going to sing more, but her lips were suddenly on mine, and my lips were moving in sync with hers. When she pulled back, our noses were only about a milimeter apart, and she whispered, "Ditto." Her cool breath tickled my lips, making me shiver. Geez, this needs to stop.

I grinned.

"But I have yet to see you dance like a fool," she pointed out.

I raised an eyebrow at her. "Do you want to see me dance like a fool?"

She laughed. "No, its cool."

The song ended, and we walked back to the table with all the food on it. But, instead of going there, Max dragged me over to the wall where it was shadowed so no one could see us. Then she pressed me to the wall and put her hands on my chest. Her soft, full lips pressed against mine and I kissed her back. My arms wrapped around her on their own accord, but I didn't mind. And neither did Max. She seemed to just want to get closer, and closer, and closer, until her chest was basically pressed against mine and their wasn't enough room for a piece of paper.

Let's pause this moment, shall we? All you see is two hormonal and very much in love teenagers playing tonsil hockey. Now we'll press play.

Max and I were happilly kissing in the shadows, when Nudge and Iggy decide they want to join us. Oh, God, get your head out of the gutter! No like that, you pervy pervs. Can we clense your perviness with Holy water? Lets hope.

Anyway, they decided to join us in the non-pervish way. *glares* A big thump sounds right next to us, and max pulls back and I openly my eyes. I was absolute horrified. I'm fine with PDA, but Nudge and Iggy seem . . . um, er . . . I con't even think of a word. Lets just say they seemed to be eating each others faces off.

Max started tomake gagging noises, and I joined her. Iggy and Nudge jumped apart and blushed scarlet.

Tonight was a good night.

* * *

October 31, Sunday, 6:00.

Max POV

God, I hate this costume. Its way too revealing. Thank you, Nudge, for getting me the best costume ever! Not.

What exactly is my costume? Well, its a black Hell Bunny corset with an open back - showing off my tattoo, which I don't mind at all - and a Lip Service red plaid tease mini skirt wiht shiny leather thing at the top for a belt that laces up in the bacl and front, and has lace at the bottom of the skirt. Then, I have The Night Before Christmas over-the-knee socks - different kinds -, and my combat boots. At least some things never change. But I look like a slut. Gosh, I hate this costume.

"Nudge, can't I wear stockings or something?" I asked her, pulling down the skirt.

She grinned evilly from her spot behind me, looking insane in her evil pixie costume. "Nope. And don't even try looking for some. I already hid them."

I groaned. "But, Nudge-"

"Don't 'but Nudge' me. You know you now you look good, and its time I did something with you. Plus, this is payback for everything you've done to me over the years."

"And what did I do to you over the years?" I asked her, pulling the skirt down a little more. It didn't help.

She shrugged. "A lot."

I rolled my eyes, but they stopped mid roll. I started counting on my fingers how many cookies I've stolen from Nudge, how many times I pushed her off a couch, how many times I've made fun of her and Iggy - yeah, I need more fingers.

I sighed. "I guess can survive this one night in this terrible, terrible outfit."

She squealed and I sighed again.

"Hey, where's Ella?" I asked with a final glance at my reflection, which had my now just pass my shoulder lenth hair into two braids and the slut outfit.

Nudge rolled her eyes. "Sucking face with Jeremy."

"Ah." We went downstairs, and to the kitchen. How did Nudge manage in those five inch heels? How?

When the guys saw us, their eyes almost bugged out. Fang was looking at me, and when I saw him I giggled. He was a - drumroll, please *bud-dum bud-dum* - NERD!

Fang's eyes returned to their normal size and he leaned against the counter. "Yes, I'm a nerd."

I walked up to him and kissed his cheek. "A very cute nerd." He smirked at me, and I returned it with a smile. "Where's Angel?"

"Putting on her costume," he said. I nodded and we waited in a comfortable silence. Angel then skipped out, wearing a white dress, white ballet flats, white wings, and a halo. She was holding a stuffed bear in a costume almost idential to hers.

She looked me up and down and sang, "Oh, revenge is in the air!"

I glared at my Angel.

"Now, now, Max," Anne scolded, coming into the kitchen, handing a white candy bag out to Angel. "Its not nice to glare at kids."

"Fine," I replied. "I'll glare at you." And I did.

"Can we go now that you've had your glaring showdown?" Ella asked, looping an arm through Jeremy's.

I smiled at her. "Yeah." I turned to Gazzy, who was in a monster costume. "Got any explosives on you? Stink bombs, fire bombs, color bombs, firework bombs?"

He shook his head and a narrowed my eyes. "Anne, search him."

"What?" she asked. "I trust him."

I sighed. "Guess we'll wait and see if we get a call from the police department. Its been a while since Henry came for a visit. Lets get this over with."

Then we were walking down the street, Angel's smooth hand in one of my hands and Fang's tough, scarred one in my other. It was a nice few hours until a red-haired bimbo decided to pop in.

"Ugh," she said, passing me with her posse . . . posee . . . pose . . . oh, whatever. "She looks like a slut."

"Look in the mirror lately?" I muttered, and she heard me. She turned around and glared at me, and I took the moment to asess what she was wearing. Oh, God. And she thought I was the slut. I'm not even going to taint your minds with what she was wearing, but her boobs and ass were all over the place.

"What did you just say?" she spat, trying to sound venemous. Not woring out.

"You heard me," I said, and continued to walk.

"Whatever, Ride. You're a slut and you stole my boyfriend, and you know it."

I rolled my eyes. "First, he has to be your boyfriend for me to steal him from you. And second," I looked at her nose, then my nails and frowned, "I'd hate to ruin my nails."

She paled and scampered off, her groupies or whatever following close behind.

"What an excellant role model you are," Fang complimented, smirking.

I shrugged. "At least Angel won't deal with people's crap, right, Ange?" I looked down at my Angel, who's bag of candy was dragging the ground as we walked. I sighed and gathered her in my arms. "I think its time we went home." I looked at my watch. It was eleven-thirty. "It is a school night."

Fang nodded.

"Hey," I said, looking around, careful not to stir the sleeping angel in my arms. "Where's Iggy and Ga-" I didn't finish my sentence because a loud bangish powish sound went through the air, and I knew a stink bomb had gone off.

Iggy and Gazzy ran towards us, and when they stopped slapped high-fives. I narrowed my eyes at them. "What did you do?" I hissed.

"Well, Gazzy had this idea that since Lissa was bothering you we should stink bomb her and-"

"Wait. You set a stink bomb off on Lissa?" They nodded. "Well done." They smiled, but I narrowed my eyes at them again. "But that doesn't mean you're off the hook."

Then I turned around and started to walk back towards the house.

* * *

**Lame Justin Bieber jokes that I made up: I know what Justin Bieber wants to be when he grows up. A guy.**

**Justin Bieber needs to stop stroking his chin. The only hair he has anywhere on his body is his head, and that won't change anytime soon. **

**You're not going to be friends with everyone, Justin Bieber. The sniper's not exactly a fan.**

**- Sanity**

**RnR?**


	17. The Fair

**WARNING, WARNING: THERE WILL BE SEVERE FAX IN THIS CHAPTER. YOU'VE BEEN WARNED.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own them. Geez, you'd think you'd get the Fnicking point ****already.

* * *

**

Novemeber 5, 2010

Houston, we've got a problem. The problem? I have no idea whatto submit to the art contest. UUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH. I've tried everything from drawing sketches of landscapes, to people, to Fang, to making out with Fang. It all leads back to either a) something that resembles Humpty-Dumpty, b) a totally a differentout come, c) Fang with his shirt off or d) Fang with his shirt off. Then it starts all over again.

Its like the circle of life. It is the circle of li-ife . . . I even tried drawing that. It didn't turn out too well.

I let my forehead fall down on my desk and let out a loud, long groan.

_Geez. You're just setting this up back and forth. You're getting so good other people's hormones are lining up to see the one-man show._

Shut up.

_. . . Yeah, I got nothing. Oh! Wait. Naughty-_

SHUT. THE FUCK. UP.

_Geez, I'm just trying to have some fun._

And then you laugh at my misery.

_That's pretty much how it works. _

I groaned again. "I don't know what to do."

Fang sighed from his spot on my bed. He sure seems to like my bed . . . I heard the creaking of the springs as he got off of the bed. Other than that, he moved silently walked over to me. I stood up and he wrapped his arms around my waist, which counted as a hug. We stayed like that for a minute, until there was a scurrying sound behind me and I tilted my head to the side. Then it clicked.

"Of course!" I said, pulling back from Fang and throwing my hands up. "It was so easy! I can't believe I didn't get it before!"

He raised an eyebrow at me. His eyes held that look that said _'Has she finally cracked?'_

'The painting!" I said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"What painting?" he asked.

Ohhhhh. I didn't tell him. Shisnizers. It is a word, as of now. It should be in the dictionary. Its a cleaner word for 'shit'. Everyone can use it, even your Grandma! Ok, I'll admit if you're grandma drops something and says shisnizers I'd make the WTF face, too. But that's not the point.

"The painting I made," I said and walked over to my closet.

"I gathered that," he said, following me into the closet. I moved clothes and everything thathad accumulated around the picture. I picked the canvas up and showed it to Fang.

"Waddya think?" I asked him. "Would you be be being partly nude on canvas?"

He was still staring at the picture. I slapped the back of his head. "Mr. Hormones, stop having weird fantasies, will ya?"

He blushed a little bit and put an arm around my shoulder. "Its a good picture, but if I'm not exactly pleased with everyone knowing what _you_look like half naked."

I shrugged. "Its not that big of a deal. I've done nude drawings of myself before."

His eyebrow shot up to his hairline and stayed there.

"Its not as gross as it sounds, Fang," I scolded him, slapping his arm.

"Sure its not," he said.

"You're just not an artist, and you can't enjoy the beauty that us the human body."

He shrugged, and we fell into a comfortanble silence.

"So . . ."Fang said, trailing off. "Is there any chance I could see the beauty that is the human body in your work?"

"Not a single one," I said and put my painting down and wrap my arms qround him. "At least, not in the pictures." Did I really just say that? Oh, God, I think I did. Shoot me now. Please, just end it quickly and pain free. It'll be over before I know it. I won't even feel it. Shoot me right in the head.

He grins. Wait, what? Stupid teenage horny boys. I never understood why its called 'horny.' If you're high on hormones (pretty much) then shouldn't it be hormy? But horny is so much easier to spell, so what the Hell? Oh, God, the rhyming. **(A/N: Heh heh. You know who I'm talking to.)**

Fang brushes his lips against mine, light as a feather. I go onto my tip-toes and put more pressue into the kiss. He responds almost immedietly. He pushes me into the wall and his arms around me tighten. I run my hands through his hair, and tangle them up in his silky, black hair.

Huh. All this started because I couldn't make up my mind of what I wanted to submit in an art competition. Now _this_ is a subject change.

Fang moved his lips down from my mouth and to my neck. He nibbled on it and I moaned. Yes. You have permission to kill. Me. Now. I could feel Fang's lips form into a smirk against my neck as he trailed kisses down to my collar bone.

"Max!" Nudge said. "Are you ready? Max, where are you?"

"Shit," Fang and I both mutter and attempts to fix each others hair. Key word: Attempts.

I put my finger to my lips to tell Fdng to be quiet. He nods and sinks back into the walls.

I sliped out of the closet and look at Nudge and Ella, who are leaning against my desk. "Hey, guys."

"Hey, Max!" Nudge said, smiling. "We were looking for you! Why are you all red and you're ha- Ohhhhhhh." She smiles at me and I blush. "Fang, you might as well come out, we know you're in here!"

The closet door slowly peaked ipen, and a guilty looking Fang strolled out, scuffing his feet on the ground. He stopped next to me, and we both hung our heads.

"I'm very dissapointed in you two," Ella said.

"Did you even think about the consequences of your actions?" Nudge asked, tapping her foot.

"Max could have gotten pregnant!" Ella exclaimed.

'What were you thinking?" Nudge asked.

"W-" I cut Ella off.

I looked up at Fang and asked him, "Are we being scolded by fifteen-year-olds?"

He looked at Ella and Nudge and nodded. "Yes, yes we are."

"That's sad," I said, shaking my head.

"Ditto," Fang replied.

"I keep expecting Ella to grow a pedo 'stache and put on a suit, and Nudge to throw on an old fashioned dress and we have thanksgiving like a perfect family," I said scratching my chin.

"We're right here!" Ella exclaimed.

"So?" Fang and I both asked together.

". . . It's rude," Ella said.

I shrugged. "What did you want me to get ready for?" I asked them.

Ella gaped at me. "How can you forget? The fair is coming to town! Fang, out!" Then she pushed him to the stairs and closed the door behind him.

Then, Nudge and Ella attacked my closet until they came out holdind black skinny jeans, black knee-high boots, and a blue shirt that said, 'Sarcasm is the best thing ever.' I dressed into it, and then they attacked me with primping items, such as the horror known as eyliner, mascara, and blush. They pulled my hair back in a blac head band and I resisted the urge to strangle them.

They're family . . . you don't hurt family . . . well, besides Iggy, but he doesn't count.

"Thanks for dressing me up," I said, my voice dripping sarcasm so thick it might never come off the floor. I grabbed my jacket and purse, and walked down the stairs to where the guys were waiting. I immediatly went to Fang's side and grabbed his hand. He grinned down at me, and I smiled up at him. He was dressed in black jeans and a black Skillet t-shirt.

"Where are Gazzy and Angel?" I asked Iggy.

He shrugged. "Anne took them earlier because they wouldn't stop bugging her about it."

"Bambi eyes?" I guessed and he nodded. "Well lets get going."

We got into the truck and drove over to the park right in the middle of town. It was alive with carnival music, cotton-candy booths, rides, and games. We split up into couples, and Fang and I went straight for the Ferris Wheel. It was one of those that reminded you of tea cups, and were so cute, but two people had to sit on both sides

So, Fang and I got in, and I put my feet in his lap. We sat in silence until I said, "I guess this is what it feels like to fly."

He grinned and started to toy with the toe of my boot. "Yeah, I guess it is."

I threw my head back, closed my eyes, and rested my neck on the cool metal bar on the edge of the teacup. It really did feel like flying . . .

After several more rides, Fang and I had finally gotten some blue cotton candy and decided just to walk around the park/fair grounds. I popped a piece of the cotton candy in my mouth and we passed my a guy was asking people to play the game where you get three shots to knock down three old milk jug things.

"Wanna play?" I asked Fang. He grinned and nodded. He handed the man the twenty dollars and he gave us six balls. Oh, God, get your head out of the gutter.

Fang went first. He was pretty good. Knocked two off in the first try, knocked off the last with the third. He won a little Nemo fish.

"My turn," I said. I picked up the ball and threw it. I completely missed the target. Tried it again. Completely missed the target. On the last try, Fang wrapped his arms around me and helped me aim. I got two of the pins off.

"You do realize that was a total ploy, right?" Jeremy asked behind us.

Fang looked at me. "Was it, Max?"

I shrugged. "We'll see." I turned around and payedthe man another ten. I picked up one of the balls and balanced it in my hand. I threw it. It hit right on target, and all the pins tumbled down. I turned to Fang. "That, my love, is what you would call a pwn. And I guess it was a ploy."

He draped an arm over my shoulder. "You are a cruel person."

"Hey, honesty is cruelty," I asnwered.

"And so is love," he muttered, and I smiled.

Fang POV

Home

I walked out of the bathroom and went down the hall and into my room, and found Max already lying there. Alright, this is every hormonal teenagers dream; to have a beautiful girl laying on their bed when they get to your room.

And what does my smooth slef come up with? "Hey." Oh, yeah. I am _that_ cool.

She smiled at me. I sat on the edge of the bed and took my shirt off when her arms wrapped around my shoulders. "Hey," she says seductively. Max doesn't say things seductively or sexily or anything like that. No, she says things in a sarcastic way or in a way that says, 'Mess with me and you won't be having kids.' Is that Max? Yes. Is this Max? No. Do I like the new Max? I'm a guy, I have hormones, do the math.

Max kissed the place right where your shoulders start and your neck ends, then she started to make her way up to my jaw. Her hands trace over my bare chest, and I knew she knew I was, erm, excited? It was kind of obvious due to the bulge in my boxers. Duh.

Max slowly edged her way until she was in front of me, stradling me. And I had my arms wrapped around her waist, and my lips were glued to hers. I slid my tongue into her mouth and explored it, until her tongue found mine. Then, we battle for dominance. I let her win and explore my mouth, and when she pulled back I was slightly disspointed. And when I mean slightly, I mean extrmely. As you could probably guess.

"Hey," she said, brushing some hair from my face. "I love you."

I smiled at her. "I love you, too."

* * *

**That's all I can think of! The next chapter will probably be Max submitting her art work or something. If you're grossed out by the serious FAXNESS in this chapter, all I can say is: I told you so.**

**Skid: She did tell you so . . .**

**Tank: It was a fair warning.**

**JP: You were warned.**

**- Sanity**


	18. Buttons

**I hate my age and size.**

**Tank: Why?**

**Me: Because I can't get a kid costume without looking like a slut, and I can't get an adult costume without looking like a slut!**

**Skid: So either way, you look like a slut.**

**Me: Exactly!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own.**

**

* * *

**

Max POV

I looked at a fake sleeping Fang and kept playing with a bit of his hair. He still kept his eyes closed. I sighed and started to trace his strong, well chiseled jaw.

He cracked open an eye and squinted. "Yes?"

I smiled at him. "Nothing."

He turned onto his side and looked at me. "You know you're the most beautiful girl in the world?"

I felt heat rise to my face. Damn bodily instincts to blush . . . "Hm. Really?"

He nodded. I smiled. The simplest things . . .

"I guess I should go before Iggy decides to wake you up, then decides to kill you," I said, and he nodded.

"I don't really want to be a dead man," he replied and I stand up, then look at what I'm wearing. Fang's shirt and boxers. Well that wouldn't go over too well.

I can just picture it now: "Hey, Max, why are you wearing Fang's clothes?" "Oh, we just had sex last night." "WHAT? He's a dead man!" Yeah, not going over that well. I changed my clothes into the one's I was in last night.

Fang got off of the bed put on some clothes himself. He kissed me lightly on the lips and walked over to the dresser. I smiled and slipped out of the room, then down the hall, down stairs, and down another hall. We have too many halls . . .

When I walked into the kitchen, I saw Iggy and Anne at the counter and the stove, their backs to me.

I slipped past them silently, but the Igster has the best damn hearing ever. "Mornin', Max. Spent the night with Fang?"

"Shit," I muttered and continued to walk out of the kitchen. I got into the small room and climbed up the stairs. I changed into some jeans and a t-shirt. When I was done with that, I pulled my painting from out of its spot in the closet, and pulled out the wrapping paper stuff. I slowly wrapped up the painting, being careful when I taped the ends of the brown paper together.

I smiled at my work and leaned the painting against the wall, and waited until I got hungry, which was about five minutes, but the smell of bacon somehow got up to me. Oh, how intoxicating the smell of bacon is. Damn Iggy for making it so good. Damn him.

I walked down my stairs again, but when I got there only bacon and a note were in the kitchen. I walked over to the fridge and tore the yellow square from the door.

_Max,_

_I took Iggy and Gazzy to their Saturday detentions, then I have things to do around town. Angel's still asleep, and she's going to her friend Kalya's house at lunch. Please bring her there._

_Anne._

I stuck the note back onto the fridge and walked over to the counter where a big, greasy pile of bacon awaited me. I put some pieces on a plate and dug in with my fingers. After a moment, arms wrapped around my waist, making me jump. Fang smirked, and kissed my neck.

"I'm sorry I was mean this morning," he said, and continued to kiss my neck.

"You weren't mean," I replied and turned around so I was facing him. He was so damn cute . . . Alright, so maybe I over exagerated when I said was a god when I first met him, but he was still hot.

"I felt mean," he said, and continued to plat light kisses on my lips.

"Well, you weren't." He moved his lips down to my neck.

"I guess I was just really tired." He smiled against my neck, and I shivered.

"Yeah, me too." I put my arms around his neck, and he planted a kiss on his soft lips. I tried to pull back back, but he pressed me against the counter.

"Fang," I whispered, pulling back. I really didn't want to do this in the kitchen.

"Hm?" His whipered into my neck. Oh, screw it. I tried to get onto the counter, and Fang helped me. I put my legs on his hips, and we continued to make out and get closer until we were basically skin tight. He ran his tongue along my bottom lip and-

"As I aprove of this relationship, I would like some nongross time with my breakfast."

I jumped and pulled away slightly from Fang. Where the Hell did she come from? I looked down at Fang and I, and understood what she meant. He was between my legs (I'm not going to say anything, because I know any way you look at it it can be turned into a joke.) and I was still pressed tightly against him.

"Sorry, Angel," I said and Fang stepped back and coughed, trying to cover his blush. Who wouldn't when an eight-year-old catches you and your girlfriend making out on the kitchen counter?

"I'll forget I ever saw this," she said, "if you two promise not to do it again." She glared at us while she said this. Yeah, I'm being scolded by a eight-year-old, and she's doing a better job than Nudge or Ella combined. We nodded, and she smiled brightly. "Good! Max, can you do my buttons?"

I grinned at her. "Sure." I knelt down to her level and did the buttons on the top of her frilly pink and white dress. "Why don't you eat you eat some breakfast and then we'll watch some TV or something?" I suggested.

"Sure, Max," she said and walked to the counter where the enticing bacon sat, just waiting for someone to eat it. She piled it onto her plate, and sat at the table, and happilly munched on it.

I put some on a plate, sat down at the table, and Fang soon joined us. Angel started to talk about her class, and I nodded absent mindedly.

My mind was in a whole other place. I think you can guess where.

I didn't even notice when Angel pulled me onto the couch and flipped the TV onto Disney. But I did notice when Fang put an arm around my shoulders, jolting me out of my world. I sank into him, and watched Phineas and Ferb with Angel. How is half of what they do even possible?

After several hours of the torture that is Disney Channel, I said, "C'mon, kiddo. Time for you to go to Kayla's."

I could practically feel the happiness coming off of her in waves. "Yay! We're gonna play Barbies and dress up and, blah, blah, blah." Alright, so maybe she didn't say those exact words, but that's what I heard after the words 'dress up' escaped her lips.

"Bye, Fang," I said and planted a quick kiss on his lips.

"Leaving me already?" he asked.

"Yeah, but I'll be back."

"You better be."

"I will be," I replied, gave him another peck on the lips, and grabbed Angel's hand. We walked to the truck, Angel hopped in the front seat, I put my painting in the back, and we drove on. I had grabbed my painting from next to the door.

Angel gave me directions to the house, and I pulled into the driveway. Angel hopped out and knocked on the door, and a girl with dark skin opened it. She was probably about an inch or two shorter than Angel, but that was understandable because Angel was tall. Angel waved goodbye and dissapeared into the three story house.

I pulled out of the drive (Ohhhh. I feel fancy schmancy because I just used the word drive instead of drvieway . . . I'm such a loser.) and rolled down the street, to down town. I was turning my painting into my old art teacher, at my old art studio thing. Fun.

Did I tell you I was kinda kicked out of that place? No? Heh-heh. I _might _have broken one of the students noses . . . then used the blood to make a painting. Look. I hadn't taken any of the 'vitamins' that day, and I was ready to punch something! Yeah, yeah, I know making a painting with blood isn't the most pleasant thing in the world, but the but the butt head had taken my red paint!

He took my paint and said I'd just have to get some on my own. And I did. From his nose . . . Blame global warming.

ANYWAYS.

I pulled up to the art studio and closed my eyes, taking deep breaths. This was it . . . time to face the snob.

I got out of my car and pulled the canvas out of the back of my truck, and walked to the art studio. I walked in, and found the snob standing their, waiting impatiently for his turn to hand in his "masterpiece of brilliance". He serisously called all of his artwork that.

He turned around and snarled at me. "Max."

"Omega."

We stood in silence, tension so thick you could shoot a gun and see the path it made.

"Still making crappy art work, are you?" he asked innocently.

"Not so crappy when I beat you in an art competition for us students, was it?" I replied.

He glared at me. "False judgement. George was mistaken when picked _your _work over _mine._"

"Whatever, Omega. It doesn't matter anyway." I moved forward with the line.

"Aw, no need to be defensive, Maxie," he said. "We both know your work has always been inferioror to mine."

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath to keep my temper under control. I had done a pretty good job until now. But this guy seriously pushed my buttons. My buttons don't like being pushed.

In fact, they _hate _it. The _despise _it.

My buttons have short fuses and wear out easily. You don't want to push my buttons.

"I doubt you'll even place in the competition," he said smugly. "With so many greater artists out there, like me for example, who would want your work to even win thrid place?"

My buttons were pushed.

"Well. Maybe they'd rather see a painting made with your _blood,_" I snarled and wound my fist back.

Before my fist could make contact with his nose, a hnad caught my elbow and a male voice said, "Miss Ride. Please do not break his nose _again_."

I turned my head and ripped my arm out of Michael's grasp. "Hello, Michael."

"Max. Good to see you again!" he said. He had a deep voice, and when he laughs you're reminded of Santa.

"Yes, very nice to see you after you kicked me out." You couldn't help but feel calm in Michael's presence, but that didn't mean I couldn't bring this stuff up.

He shrugged. "Omega's parents threatened to sue if you weren't taken out of classes with their son, and that was the only class we had for kids your age."

I nodded. Silence. "So. Are you a judge?" I asked.

He laughed. Hello Santa. "Trying to suck up, are we?"

It was my turn to laugh. "Me? Suck up? No." See how easy it is to get along with this dude?

"How's your dad?" he asked.

I shrugged. "He's in prison."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

Awkward silences suck. Because when it's an awkward silence, you keep rethinking the last thing you said, over and over again, looking for flaws in how you said it, or if you hurt someone's feelings by saying it.

"Good luck, Max," Michael said and drfted away to do what artists do. I don't really know what he does with his free time, so we'll stick with that.

Finally, after however minutes of waiting, I walked up to the fold out tables they had assembled, and said, "Maximum Ride." and put the picture against the wall.

* * *

**Short, crappy chapter, but a chapter.**

**Keep the reviews coming.**

**- Sanity**


	19. Awkward

**Discalimer super early 'cause I'm super excited about this chapter for some reason and I'll stop no-: I don't own. Why do you keep asking? It's quite annoying, actually. Would you like it if I asked you a hundred times if you owned something and you didn't? Didn't think so.**

December third

December third . . . they announce the winners of the art competiton today. I'm doomed.

"Max, calm down," Iggy said.

"Shut your pie hole, Iggy," I said and continued to pace back and forth in the living room. Hey - how do you pace back and forth, when you should pace forth and back? You can't pace back if you didn't pace forth first and- I'm going to shut up now.

"Max," Fang said and grabbed my arm, forcing me to sit on the couch next to him. "Relax. Its going to be fine."

I gave him a weak grin and turned to Ella and Nudge, my grin turning into a glare. "I blame you."

Ella raised an eyebrow. "You blame us for what?"

"Making me a nervous wreck," I said, and started to stand up to pace again, when Fang pulled me down and wrapped his arms around me so I was completely trapped in one spot. It stinks.

To take out all the energy I got from the future announcements, I started to bounce my foot, making my whole leg shake.

"Max," Fang said and put a hand on my knee. "Please calm down."

"How can you tell me to calm down?" I said. "This is seriously a not-calm moment, Fang."

He sighed, and kissed me on the lips for a second. When he pulled back, I was seriously dissapointed.

"Calm now?" he asked.

"Uh-huh," I said. "Actually, no. Can I have some more medicine?" Wow. I hadn't realized how lame that was until I actually said it.

He grinned. "Sure." He was just about to kiss me when the. Phone. Freaking. Rang.

I mean, seriously? Can you have any worse timing?

"Um, Max?" Ella said. "Aren't ya gonna get that?"

"Why?" I asked, still staring into Fang's eyes.

"Uh, because it could be about the art competition?"

Screw Fang's eyes. I jumped off of the loveseat and literally flew at the phone - which was behind the couch, resting on a table - grabbed it, and fell on the floor. "Ow," I moaned, but it didn't stop me from pressing the green button on the house phone. "Hello?"

"Yes, this is S&M company, and we-" I hung up and stared at the ceiling for about five minutes before anyone bothered me.

"So?" Iggy asked. "Whats going on?"

"It was a telemarketor person," I said. "They're not going to call."

"Stop being such a pesimist," Ella said.

I shrugged. "It's what I do . . . they aren't calling."

"Whatever you want to believe, Max," Ella said.

I sighed, and the phone rang again. I threw it over the couch, and heard the soft thump meaning it hit the coushin. "You get it. I don't think I can stand more rejection."

I could feel it in my soul when Nudge rolled her eyes and said into the phone, "Hello? . . . No . . . REALLY? . . . Oh my gawd!"

I thought she was talking to a telemaketor. She actually talked to one of those people for five hours. It was hilarious. Especially because it was on speaker phone. And Nudge managed to get his credit card number.

"Max, c'mere," she said and looked over the couch.

"Why should I?" I asked.

She hung the phone over the edge as bait. "It's the art people. They said they wanted to talk to you."

She had me at it's the art people. I practically levitated off the floor and snatched the phone from her hand. "Hello?"

"Um, yes, hello. Is this Miss Maximum Ride?" a male voice said from inside the phone.

"It's just Max, but yes," I said. Can they please get to the point?

"I wanted to inform you that you placed in the art competiton."

I literally froze. Didn't say a word. Didn't move. Three mini sentences were going on in my head: NO. FREAKING. WAY.

"Max? Are you still there? Hello?" the voice on the other end of the phone said.

I broke out of my trance and answered , "Yeah, I'm still here, bu-bye."

"But, Miss Ride-" I hung up.

"So?" Fang asked and I grinned.

"I placed ." So what if it's second or third or first? I didn't even expect to place. You take what you can get, right? Well, I'm glad I even got a place in the competition.

December tenth

Since I placed in the art contest, I got to go to the premiere at the museum. I was dressed casualy, jeans and a t-shirt that said, 'Bacon makes everything better.' So true, so true.

Anyways. We were inside the art museum in Phoenix (It took us a long time to get here. Me in a tiny car with Gazzy and not being able to move. Yeah. It sucked.), and Fang and I were waiting behind the mini stage they had set up to announce the winners. I was excited as I could be.

And I was super, super, super nervous. I couldn't stop bouncing up and down. See? Whoever made that knows how it's done. You can't go down before you go up, like you can't go back before you go forth. It's like people don't think things through before they do them. Geez.

"Max," Fang said, put his hands on my shoulders, forcing me to stop bouncing up _then _down. (Get it right, back and forth.) "Calm. Down."

"I'm sorry," I said. "I'm just really, really nervous."

"About what?" he asked.

"Stage fright," I mumbled.

"What was that?" he asked, chuckling.

"I've got stage fright, alright?" I said.

He raised an eyebrow. "You? Stage fright? Are you sure?"

I playfully punched his arm. "Yeah, stupid. I'm not perfect."

"To me you are," he said.

"Aw, cheesy pick up lines. It's seriously gross."

No, I didn't say that. Who was it? you ask. IT WAS JUSTIN BIEBER THE ALIEN WITH HYPNOTIS POWERS THAT MAKE GIRLS AROUND THE WORLD LOVE HIM. HE'S COME TO KILL US ALL. RUN FOR YOUR LIFE OR CHOP OFF THAT DOUCHE'S HEAD WITH LESBIAN HAIR OFF. IT'LL SAVE THE WORLD.

No, but really, it was Omega. Ugh. I just hope he didn't place first. Is that too much to ask?

We didn't say anything, didn't greet each other. Nothing. Sat in awkward silence for about fifteen minutes.

A girl with jet black hair and bright green eyes walked behind the stage. She had a tight fitted t-shirt that said 'Dear math, I'm not a therapist. Solve your own problems' and black skinny jeans. A diamond stud in her right nostril. And she looked like she didn't want to be here. AT. ALL.

I walked up to her, where she leaned against a wall, mouthing the words to the song she was listening to on her iPod.

I did the head nod. She returned it. Fang gave her a head nod, she returned it. See how awesome we are?

She took her earbuds out and said, "I'm Nyloc."

"Max," I said.

"Fang," he said.

"Who's the douche bag?" Nyloc asked, giving a nod in Omega's direction.

I rolled my eyes. "Omega."

She snickered. "Seriously?"

"Yep. One-hundred percent."

"But I guess I don't have room to talk . . ." She shrugged.

"Watcha paint?" I asked her.

"A tree. A really, really, big tree."

"Cool."

"What did you paint?" she asked.

I smirked. "This dude." I jerked my thumb at Fang.

She raised an eyebrow and smirked. "I get it."

I did a face palm. "Not like that."

"Didn't make it seem like that."

Fang coughed, trying to cover the small blush on his face. "I'm right here."

"I know that," we both answered.

He raised an eyebrow. "Not weird at all."

I rolled me eyes. "Nope, not a bit."

We sat in silence. It was a comfortable silence. And some guy with a weird hair came out and said, "We're going to announce the winners in about five minutes to whomever it may concern."

We mummered yeahs. I was still super nervous about what I placed. And, ya know, the whole stage fright thing. But, other than that, I was completely calm. Meaning: I wasn't calm _at. All. _

"OK, I guess it's about time we told you who got what place!" wierd hair dude, who will now be referred to as W.H.D, said.

Claps came from the other side of the stage thing, and I heard Iggy shout, "GO MAX!" And could feel it in my bones when Nudge and Ella slapped the back of his head. I laughed, Fang grinned, Nyloc chuckled, and Omega remained the douche bag that he is. He did nothing. Douche. No . . . he doesn't even deserve that title. He should be THE MEGA DOUCHEY PRINCE OF DOUCHVILLE, THE DOUCHIEST OF THEM ALL. But, since that is way too long, we'll just call him Your Douchiness. It's a fitting title, don't ya think?

And I'm still nervous with the whole stage fright thing, even after enjoying a good head laugh.

"In first place, we have . . ." the faint sound of tearing paper. "Nyloc Mitchenson!"

_"WHAT? !" _Omega screamed, outraged.

"You heard him, Your Douchiness," I told him. I turned to Nyloc, "Congrats."

She smiled at me. "Thanks." She walked up the stairs to the stage thing and disapeared behing the thin curtain that separated us from the stage.

"In second place . . ." More ripping paper. "Miss Maximum Ride!"

HOLY. FLYING. SHIT. NO. FREAKING. WAY. ON. PLUTO. IT. IS. A PLANET. FACE. THE. FACTS. SCIENTISTS.

Ahem. Yeah, hi, Max's brain here. I was blown away into the desert by her winning second place in the art competiton. I wasn't expecting it either. But now I have to find her, so gimme a second . . .

. . .

. . .

. . .

I'm ba-ack! Miss me? Aw, ya know you did! C'mon. Tell the truth . . . FINALLY!

Anyways. "Max? Did you hear that? You got second place," Fang said.

I smiled and said, "Yeah. I heard." I climbed up the steps and pulled back the thin curtain to reveal . . . not that many people. My family, my friends, a few people who looked like they had sticks up their butts - probably His Duchiness's family -, a group of people with different eyes and different hair, and a few others.

I walked out on stage and stood next to Nyloc, who was looking at three people in particular. One was a girl who had hair the color of a fox's, and eyes to match. Another was a boy with black hair and bright blue eyes. The last was a girl with so-blonde-almost-white hair and jade-green eyes. (I'm super observant . . . sometimes.)

"Your family?" I whispered.

She grinned. "You could say that." **(A/N: Nyloc and the rest of them weren't supposed to be in a MR fic, but I probably won't be posting that one. So you're just gonna have to deal with the overload of new characters that will probably only appear this once, m'kay?)**

They invited Omega onto the stage as third place - ha ha - and we stood beside our paintings for the unveiling. Shit. I believe this is why I was so, so, so nervous. Showing my family the painting.

Help me.

"Now, the winners will pull the veil off of their art pieces, and we'll move to the next round," W.H.D said.

Ya see, there are a few things that go on in this thing: One, the painting section, where I am now, drawing, and sculpting. Each has age catagories, and I'm in the fourteen through eighteen section.

"And . . . reveal your paintings!" W.H.D announced. Geez. They make such a big deal out of it.

SHIT! I pulled the little canvas thing they had displayed over the painting and looked at my family. Iggy's jaw practically hit the floor, Ella and Nudge gave me a look that said 'You will tell us later', and Anne's eyes had grown the size of dinner plates. Gazzy seemed to be staring at Nyloc with goo-goo eyes, and Angel was . . . looking at the boy in front of her?

Heh-heh. This is gonna be an . . . awkward car ride home.

**Mwahahahahahaha!**

**Omega: Hey, you made my last name Williams. Does that mean I'm related to Haley Wiliams?**

**Me: Yeah, you're her thirty-first cousin twice removed.**

**His Douchiness: *glares***

**Me: What? You asked. **

**Skid: You did.**

**JP: This is giving me a headache.**

**Me: My brain hurts.**

**Tank: Another headache?**

**Me: No, no. This is a brainache.**

**JP: What's the difference?**

**Me: A brainache is when you feel like your brain is about to explode with all brainy pieces all over the walls.**

**Skid: Stupid math . . .**

**- Sanity**


	20. Hurt

**JP: I can't believe you're doing this . . .**

**Skid: It's so freaking cliche!**

**Me: *shrug* Tank? What do you think?**

**Tank: Well . . . my creator is on one side, my girlfriend is on the other . . . I'm Switzerland.**

**Me: *groans***

**Skid: Ha!**

**Me: Whatever . . . Let's just give the freaking disclaimer already.**

**Disclaimer: I'm tired of these things. They make me feel bad. But . . . Yeah, I got nothing but the fucking disclaimer. You know the deal by now.**

December 16

Ya know how I had left this off at this is gonna be an awkward car ride home? I think I lived in the land of awkwardness for a little while. Iggy kept looking at me, raising eyebrows, and turning his attention back to the front window. Nudge and Ella just stared at me, and Nudge started poking me in the ribs. I kicked her shin, and she stopped.

Oh, but no, that wasn't the end of their shinanigains. Ella actually texted me, _'Tell me everything, please, please, please, please . . .' _It went on for a while. It was really sad.

Angel had been too busy day dreaming about her mystery boy to be any fun, Gazzy was . . . doing something I'm not exactly sure I want to know about, since it had to do with wires, and Fang and Iggy seemed like they were having a mental conversation I didn't know about.

And Anne . . . well, I don't think she has any intention of talking to me for a little while. That's her problem, not mine. I could really care less. I just had my sketch pad and iPod for company.

And now what am I doing? Well, I'm sitting in English class, wondering about those weird looks Lissa had been giving me. These weren't those weird looks that said, 'I know what happened at summer camp.' No, these were the looks that said, 'I now something you don't. Ha ha.' There's a difference. Secretly, everyone knows what happened at summer camp, but no one knows that. But when someone knows something you don't, NO ONE KNOWS ABOUT IT.

Crap. That just makes me feel like I'm in the land of awkwardness. Again.

The bell rang, signaling lunch. And I'm starving. I got my stuff from my locker, waited for Fang to get his, and walked to the lunch room, his hand in mine. I still love him. A lot. Like, a lot a lot. Even if I didn't know him for years or we didn't grow up together. It felt like we did.

"Max?" Fang said. "Are you alright?"

I smiled up at him. "Yeah. I'm fine."

He grinned. "Good."

"Let's eat something," I said and got in line, picked out some tacos/burritos (I could never tell the difference, though Iggy would probably kill me for not knowing.), an orange, a brownie,and a coke.

We walked to the table and sat down. Iggy, Nudge, and Ella were already there.

I had told Nudge and Ella about you know what, and swore them to secrecy. But I think Iggy knew from Nudge telling him. She just can't keep her mouth shut. It can be a real pain.

We ate with Iggy telling lame jokes, Nudge talking her mouth off, Ella talking with Jeremy, and me still thinking about those weird looks Lissa JUST. KEPT. GIVING. ME.

It was disturbing. She just kept looking at me . . . And it wasn't a glare way. She had this grin on her face, and she just kept stabbing her food like it was me or something . . . IS SHE GOING TO KILL ME?

I always wanted someone to kill me when I die. You're probably wondering, 'WHAT KIND OF SICK BITCH ARE YOU?' Meh. I just wanted it to happen. I think it be cool. But, hey, I think Anne dropped me on my head as a baby. So what do I know?

Last Period

Man, I really, really, really had to PEE. The bell really needed to ring. BADLY, before I peed my pants. And, of course, I had asked the teacher if I could go to the bathroom. But did she say yes? No. She said school was almost over and I could wait. BUT I COULDN'T.

And just when I thought I was going to pee my pants, the bell rang, I grabbed my books, and sprinted to the bathroom.

I did my beesniss - which is mine, and mine only - and walked out of the bathroom. As Iwas walking through the halls, Nudg and Ella caught up with me and we joked around until we got to the corner that I had to turn at to get to my locker. I turned the corner, my eyes finding my locker, and my heart broke.

Pause this right here. Have you ever had to pee REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, REALLY bad? So bad it felt like yo were going to burst into a million whatever-your-name-is pieces? But you knew that if you peed yor pants, it would ruin you and your reputation? You also knew that if you had to go to the bathroom, it would also mean missing a pop-quiz or something like that, so you no choice but to suck it up.

Well, that's how being heart broken feels. Worst analogy thing ever, but it works.

Why was I heart broken? Because, right in front of me, was Lissa and _Nick _kissing. In front of my locker.

The book I had in my hand tumbled out, slamming to the floor with a loud thump. Lissa pulled away frim Nick, and smirked at me. "Not so perfect now, are you?"

I felt tears threatening to spill out of my eyes, so I turned around and ran. I heard Nick call my name, but I ignored him.

I hadn't cried over Dylan because deep inside, I knew something was up, but decided to ignore it. I never felt that spark with him like I did with Fang, never truly loved him with all my heart that I did Fang. Never cried over him because he was a sexist ass face, unlike Fang who didn't treat me like is property and was sweet.

But Fang was gone now. Left in his place was Nick, an ass face, two timing bastard, who I had given everything away to, my heart included. Someone I didn't like, someone I hated, someone who I probably couldn't stomach to even look at.

When I finally stopped running, I realized I had landed in the park, a few people still walking around. I walked with them, my handsclutching the strap of my messenger bag so tightly, my knuckles were white.

I walked throuh the park, and stopped in front of the place where I had said it must be like to fly. Silent tears ran down my face, and I didn't even try to wipe them away. It would probably only make things worse.

I walked to an empty bench and sat down, and just thought about things. In case you haven't been keeping up with my life, when I think too hard, I get headaches. But not this time. This time, the bastard that's up there let me tink things through and through. You don't want to know what I was thinking.

"Child? What's wrong?"

I looked up from my lap and looked up at an old woman with pale, wrinkled skin and jeans and a t-shirt. Stylish for an old woman.

"Nothing," I sniffed. "I'm fine."

She chuckled. "You're much too cynical looking to be fine. What's wrong, dear?" **(A/N: I've been called cynical before. Look it up.)**

"My heart was broken," I said truthfully. I don't know why I was confiding in her, but I did anyways.

"Dear," she said, "you're too young to have a broken heart."

I shrugged. "That doesn't mean it didn't happen."

She nodded, understanding. "The name's Marion Janssen."

"Max," I said and pulled out my sketch book and pencil. "Can I draw you?"

She arched an eyebrow.

"It helps me keeps my mind off of things."

"Oh. Of course." She sat down next to me on the bench and I turned to her, looking up every few seconds to make sure I got it right. My pencil lightlyran across the paper, making the pattern of her wrinkled face and soft eyes. We stayed like that for a while, her sitting still, me drawing her.

"Max," an all too familiar voice said behind me and my blood ran cold.

Marion sighed and got off of the bench. "Guess it's time for me to go."

"Goodbye, Marion," I said.

"Later, Max," she replied and walked on.

"Max," Nick said again and I heard him walk over to me.

"What do you want, Nicholas?" I hissed.

"I wanted to talk to you, Max. It wasn't what it looked li-"

I turned to him and snapped, "I almost always is what it looks like, Nick. No matter what you say, I know what I saw. I'm not blind."

"But, Ma-"

"I. Dont'. Want. To. Hear. It. Got that?"

He hung his head, and gave a small nod. I turned back to my sketch book and put my pencil to the paper. I was expecting Nick to just go back the way he came, but I wasn't expecting him to drape his jacket over my shoulders. It smelt of leather, but had lost that cinnamon smell that it always did. Instead, it smelt bitter.

The cinnamon smell belonged to Fang, somethingI doubted I would ever smell again.

"What was that about?" I asked him.

"It can get cold here at night," he said in a deadpan voice.

However I hate to admit it, he was right. It got considerably colder.

A horn honked, and there was Iggy, the passenger door to my truck open, and him looking at me expectantly. I got my stuff together and walked over to my truck and got into the passneger seat.

"Are you alright?" he asked and I shook my head. He pulled me into a hug and whispered in my ear, "It's all gonna be ok. It's all gonna be ok."

I don't know if he was talking to himself or me, but I nodded and hugged him back. We drove home in silence, and my heart still hurt.

Fang

I sat on the edge of my bed, my elbows on my knees, myhead in my hands. I felt like crying. But I didn't cry. Ever. I think the last time I cried, I had broken a few ribs. And I think only one tear had escaped from my eye.

Light floodedinto the dark room and I looked up. Iggy leaned against the door frame, looking at the other side of it. He loooked seriously badass, like he was about to kill someone and then go laugh his ass off above the corpse of yours truly.

"You hurt my sister, Fang," he growled.

"Iggy," I said, my voice quiet. "I swear to God I didn't do anything with Lissa."

I could see his muscles tighten, like he was resisting the urge to strangle me. "I don't believe you."

"I. Did. Not. Do. Anything," I said, pronouncing ever word. "Right before Max turned around the corner, Lissa pushed me against the wall and kissed me. I swear, Iggy. I swear on my life."

He turned his head and looked me in the eye. "I told you if you ever hurt her, I'd kill you. Now I don't know what to do. You're my best friend, man. But Max . . . she's my sister. I love her to death." I nodded, understanding. "I want to believe you, but at the same time I want to do whatever makes Max feel better, ya know?" I nodded again. "She cried, dude. It takes a lot for Max to cry. Like, a lot. The last time Max cried - that I know of - is when Angel was kidnapped, and that hurt us all. Especially Max. She thought it was her fault that her baby was gone."

"I didn't know that," I said.

"Max doesn't like people in her personal life. If anyone asks what's wrong, she'll just ignore them. Ask her a really personal question, she'll avoid it."

"So . . ."

He grinned. "How about I give you a black eye and we call things even?"

I nodded, knowing damn well I deserved it after what I put Max through. It must hurt a lot.

And knowing that I did it to her hurt more than that black eye Iggy had just given me.

**Skid: . . . Deep.**

**Me: Yeah, that having to pee REALLY, REALLY, REALLY bad was, like, from the heart and all that good stuff.**

**Tank: You're a cruel person, you know that?**

**Me: . . . Meh. I've been called worse.**

**Fang: Did Ihave to kiss Lissa **_**again? **_

**Me: It was madatory!**

**JP: I'm with Sanity after all. It was like having Fang leave - necessary for the story.**

**Me: Yeah, I think that could have been avoided. *pulls out knife* Time for you to pay.**

**JP: Help me.**

**RnR?**

**- Sanity**


	21. Mushiness is Going to Kill Me

**This is going to be an . . . odd chapter. And you have to remember not to jump to conclusions.**

**JP: Jumping conclusions can lead people in bad directions. *cough* Sanity. *cough***

**Me: Yes?**

**JP: *face palm* Never mind . . .**

**Skid: I like this chapter. Max is . . . interesting.**

**Tank: If interesting is crazy, then yes.**

**Disclaimer of the crazy chick: I STILL DON'T OWN THEM/HER! DAMMIT! **

**Me: This chapter presses an issue I think is wrong. Sure, people have free will, think what thay want, do what they want, but did youeven just think of what you're doing? Ever ask them what they wanted? Read the chapter . . . you'll get it. I'd love to hear your opinions.**

Really,

Oh, shit, I'm gonna puke.

I threw the covers off of myself and ran to my bathroom. I got on my knees and puked into the cool porcelain. I should have cut that hair off a long time ago. I pulled it back myself and continued to empty my stomach contents. I didn't _feel _sick last night . . .

No. No, no, no, no, no . . . I can't be . . . We had used protection . . . Right?

I had no time to think about it. I was _still _puking my brains out. My stomach contents were now empty, and, thank God, my puking was done with. For now. I stayed on the floor of the bathroom for a while, just thinking things through. God I hope I'm wrong . . .

I pulled myself off of the floor and washed my slightly sweaty face with some cool water. I turned the faucet off and exited the bathroom, pulled on some sweats, tennis shoes, my purse, and walked downstairs. It had to be determined. Now.

I unlocked the door and slipped out of the house. I decided I needed the fresh air, and just walked to the store. The clear night air helped me think about things. I didn't exactly want to have a baby. But I don't think I'd be able to kill him/her. It'd just be . . . wrong. I was never for abortion. Never even liked the idea of it. You're taking away a life when you have abortion. It's practically killing your child.

Before I realized it, I was at the 24/7 convenience store, and walking through the doors. The bright lights hurt my eyes, but I squinted and continued down the isle. I passed the counter, and did the head nod with te girl behind it. She returned the nod.

I walked to the isle that held the pregnancy tests and grabbed the first two I saw. I just wanted to get this over with. I walked to the counter and put the items on it.

The girl had blond dread locks pulled back in a thick headband, and green eyes. Other than that, when I really tried to focuse on her face, it was blurry, like a crappy old movie. Weird.

She looked at me, looked at the items, rang them up, and gave me the bill.

I handed her the money and grabbed the bag.

"Hey!" she said just as I was about to walk out.

"Yeah?" I snapped.

"I just wanted to say . . . good luck," she replied and sat back down on the stool.

I nodded. "Thanks." But I really didn't know what it meant anymore.

The house

In your world, five minutes probably ticked by like five seconds. In my world? It goes by like five. Fucking. Hours. You know I'm an impatient person, right? Well, I might be pregnant, I'm impatient, and I have to wait five minutes until I can know. Nothing and is going well.

Finally - and I mean FINALLY - the alarm on my phone went off and I picked the pregnancy test off of the edge of the sink. I looked at the little symbol on it, purse my lips, and open the other box, just to be positive.

Fang

Max still hates my guts. I can't say I blame her. She was heart broken. She loved me, and I broke her heart by cheating on her. At least, that's what she thinks. I didn't do a thing with Lissa. NOT A THING. Got that? Good. But it probably won't be the last time you hear it.

Max, Max, Max, Max, Max. That was the only thing running through my head. Jow much I missed her. How much I missed her lips on mine, her hand in mine, her in my arms. Being love sick sucks . . .

I love Max. A lot. How could she ever think I'd cheat on her? And I didn't even talk to her! I'm a wimp. I was scared I'd make things even worse than they already were. I tried talking to her, but what did she do? Shoved me away. Not literally, of course. But still . . . it hurt. Love stinks.

I'm thinking about just giving it up. Love, I mean. It probably doesn't even exist. God just plays these seriously mean jokes on us, then he rips that little thing called "love" out of our hearts, burns it, and spreads the ashes in the wind . . .

WARNING, WARNING: EMO FANG. HE'S COME AT LAST!

I sighed. People always called me "emo" because I wore black a lot. But it made no sense. Emo means emotionally unstable, and I'm pretty damn stable with my emotions. We have an agreement. They stay put, and I don't kill them. But right now? I'm seriously tempted. All a bunch of emotions are playing in my head. I love Max; who wouldn't? But yet I hate her. She thought I would cheat on her. I'm happy she had the reaction she did; she can take care of herself and doesn't put up with people's crap. And I'm pissed at her for having the exact same reaction I said I was glad she had; she didn't even give me a chance to talk to her about it.

I rolled over and screamed into the pillow, making my throat hurt. Life makes absolutely NO SENSE. Listen, my young pupils. You're gonna have some tough times in life. Don't listen to that thing you call "love". It's complicated, nasty business. It ruins lives. It's like drugs; makes you sick, eventually killing you. Maybe not literally, but inside? It makes you all hollow and sick feeling. Like you can throw up, but you can't. Depressing stuff, huh?

The door to my bed room opened, and I flipped onto my back. Max leaned against the door frame, holding something in her hands.

"Heyg," she said.

I sat up, hope filling me. And what did I come up with?

"Hey."

Ooohhh, yeah. I'm that awesome.

She walked over to the bed, and handed me whatever she had in her hand. "Merry Chrismas, Fang." Then she walked out of my room, and closed the door behind her.

I furrowed my brow and pulled the switch on the bedside table. A pregnancy test?

My first thought was, _Eeewww. Max peed on this._

My next thought was, _Waitaminute . . . SHIT._

I looked at the little symbol on the end and breathed out. I fell back onto the bed, and closed my eyes. The little negative sign was permanently imprinted into my brain.

Seven AM

"FANG!" Angel yelled directly in my ear. "IT'S CHRISTMASS!"

I groaned and rolled over. "Five . . . more minutes."

"No!" she yelled and pulled my arm. "Get up!"

I sighed and cracked an eye open, looking at Max's mini me. "Get out so I can put some clothes on, Angel."

She glared at me. "Don't you dare go back to sleep."

I nodded, and she ran out of the room. Geez. Excited much? I got out of bed and out on a shirt and some jeans. Walked downstairs, ate a piece of bacon, and went into the living room.

I grinned. Angel was practically exploding with excitement. The second she saw me, she said, "Gimme, gimme, gimme!"

Max laughed, a sound like bells. "Alright, kiddo. Calm down!" She handed her a box and smiled at Angel. She tore into the box, and pulled out a pink tutu.

"Thank you, Max!" Angel said and threw her arms around Max's neck.

"You're welcome, Ange," Max said and hugged her back.

This went on for a while. Gazzy got a lighter, and said, his exact words, "Sweeet," while flicking it on and off. Max glared at him, and he put it away. Iggy . . . a lighter and a box of matches, with more stuff. It all went by in a blur to me. I didn't give anything to Max. It didn't seem right.

When the gifts were exchanged, Max went with Ella and Nudge to their house, to celebrate Christmas again. Angel went with them.

So I was all alone. I took out my cell phon, went to contacts, and pressed 'mom'.

"Nick!" she said over the phone. "Honey, it's been weeks since we heard from you!"

The corners of my mouth twitched. "Hey, Mom. I just wanted to say Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmans, honey," she replied.

"Hey . . " I said. "Can I talk to dad?"

"Sure. What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Guy stuff."

"Oh, ok. I'll get him."

I heard the scuffing of her feet against the floor, and her call, 'Nick! Your son wants to talk to you!'

A minute later, my dad picked up the phone. "Hey, Fang. Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas," I replied.

"I take it you didn't just wanted to say that?" he asked.

I sighed. "No . . . I need advice."

"On what?" he asked, amusement in his words. I never asked for anything. Ever.

"Girls," I said, breathing the word out.

He laughed. "Girls are complicated creatures, Fang. Impossible to decipher."

"You're telling me."

"Did I ever tell you how i met your mother?" he asked.

I thought about it. "Actually, no."

He chuckled. "I didn't think so. She was the first woman to ever turn me down."

"You're kidding," I said, smiling. A woman resisting the Harrison charm? IMPOSSIBLE.

"No, I'm not. I had asked her out in front of all my friends, expecting her to say yes and swoon like any other girl would. Instead, she said she wouldn't date me if I was thelast man alive."

I snickered. "Bet your ego really took a blow there, huh?"

"Yep. But I didn't give up. Took me almost a year to get her to go out with me. Then, to go on another date, a month."

"Seriously?" I asked.

"One-hundred percent. But, eventually, I got her heart. And she already had mine."

"Aw. That's so cheesy."

"Meh. I never said I wasn't cheesy."

"True," I replied.

"So what's yourgirl trouble? Can't get her to go on a date with you? Fang, you'll be coming home in a few days."

"No, no," I sighed. "I already had her. Then I lost her."

He let his breath out in a hiss. "Woman are like a lot of animals, Fang. If you lose their trust once, you might not get it back."

"I know that," I replied. "It's hard enough to even get her to _talk _to me."

"What did you do?" he asked.

"She thinks I cheated on her."

"Did you?"

"No!" I yelled. "I'd never do that!"

"I know, son," he said. There was a pause. "So what's her name?"

"Max," I said.

"Your host family's daughter?" my father asked.

"Yeah," I replied, knowing where he was going with this.

"And they're the Ride family?"

"Don't go there," I growled.

"Sorry, son," he said, chuckling. "I couldn't help myself . . . But she must mean a lot to you."

I sighed. "Yeah. She does."

"Give her a little time,"he advised.

"Like you said, I only have a few more days here."

"Yeah, I know . . . talk to her, then."

"I'll try," I said.

"Um . . . bye," he said.

"Bye, dad," I said and was about to hang up when he added that last thing.

"Son, I love you," he said.

I grinned. "Love you, too, dad."

One day, mushiness will kill me. Slowly and painfully.

**AHHHHH! ALL THIS MUSH IS ALREADY KILLING _ME_! I NEED FUNNY OR GORE! I'M GOING TO DIE OF THIS STUFF ONE DAY!**

**RN-FREAKING-R BEFORE I GO INSANE!**

**- SANITY WHO IS ABOUT TO DIE OF MUSHINESS (HELP HER.)**


	22. Just Kiss Me, You Bastard

**Priest: We are here today to mourn the loss of Sanity Still-not-telling-you, death by mushiness. She was a wonderful daughter, terrific friend, beautiful author, great creator-**

**Tank: *cough* Ha! *cough***

**Priest: *glares* Kind kidnapper-**

**JP: *cough* Not. *cough***

**Priest: ALRIGHT! That's it! You people are to disrespectful of the dead!**

**Me: *rises from coffin* Yeah! I'm dead here, and you're making fun of my life style!**

**Crowd at ny funeral: AH! *faints***

**Me: Now it's time for a . . .**

**Disclamaaaa': I still don't own anything! WHEN?**

Max

I laid in my bed, opening and closing my locket. Open, close. Open, close. Snap, snap. One side had a more recent picture of Angel. The other had a picture of a half-grinning Fang. I kept it open and continued to look at him. He looked happy. I hated it. I hated him. He broke my heart. And when hearts break, they don't break even. They shatter into a million pieces, like glass or crystal.

Usually, I'd draw or paint or sketch to keep my mind off of this, but my drawings and paintings were all really depressing. My latest was a girl in a tattered black cloak, cloak blowing in the wind. Her head was down, her hands in front of her, holding a staff. A red stone was on the top of the staff, shaped like a heart. It was cracking. The staff wasin the center of a white heart, and that was breaking in half. Depressing stuff.

Nick was leaving tomorrow. He was going home to Colorado, where he'd be out of my life. The problem was I wasn't exactly sure how I felt about it. I hated him; he had taken my heart, chopped it into little pieces, put it in his bacon, and ate it for breakfast. But I loved Fang; I loved him with all of whatever was left of my heart. They were the same person, but they weren't.

I hate emotions. They twist around you battle with each other, until you don't know what to do any more. How you feel. Who you feel it to. Why you feel it.

"Alright, if you're going to stay up here moping, we have some serious work to do."

"Hi, Nudge," I said and closed the locket.

"How ya doing, Max?" Ella asked and plopped on the bed next to me. I noticed she had a tub of ice cream in her arms.

I shrugged. "Fine, I guess."

Nudge poked my side. "Liar. You wouldn't be up here without . . . all alone if you were fine."

I rolled onto my back. "So what are you doing here?"

Ella grinned. "We brought a therapy session."

I raised an eyebrow, and she held up the tub of chocolate ice cream. Nudge held up a stack of movies.

I sighed. "Alright. Fatten me up, then you can eat me for dinner."

Ella slapped the back of my head, and Nudge hopped off the bed and walked to my TV. She put in the DVD, grabbed the remote, and sprinted back to the bed. She hopped on and said, "Are you ready for this?"

I nodded, opened the container of ice cream, and put the spoon in the chocolaty-ness. Time for therapy.

And guess what? Best. Therapy. EVER. Mental illness? Buy chocolate ice cream and horror movies. Kleptomaniac? Steal some chocolate. Bipolar? Have mood swings over chocolate. Paranoid? Worry about your enemies over chocolate. Chocolate fixes everything.

Most of the time. You're still pissed off, though. Always mad? Go buy a punching bag.

"Go crawl under a rock and die, you bastard!" I yelled and threw the remote at the TV. It bounced off of the screen and landed on the wood floor with _crack. _

He had cheated on his girlfriend, then denied it when she brought it up. DIE_._ BASTARD. DIE.

I hugged the pillow to my chest and buried my face in it, fighting back tears. Just like Nick.

"Max . . ." Ella said, trailing off.

"Just go," I said.

"Max, please," Nudge said.

"Leave. Please."

The weight on the bed shifted, and I heard my door close.

I cried then. All the hurt I had felt came back to me. The betrayal. The sting. How my heart had shattered. How I had seen it. All fresh in my mind. AGAIN.

The worst thing about crying is when you're done, you feel awkward in your own skin. Like you want to shed it and grow a new one. But I'd have to settle with changing clothes.

Fang

I decided to take my dad's advice. On the last day I was here. It had taken me a while to get the guts, alright? Max was freaking scary. I've seen what she can do pissed off.

I walked out of the kitchen and into the room that had the stairs to Max's room, just in time for Nudge and Ella to come down.

Ella glared at me, crossed her arms in front of her chest, and said, "Where do you think you're going?"

"Talk to Max," I mumbled.

"No, you're not," Nudge said and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"I already told you I didn't do anything." I was losing my patience.

"So?" Ella asked. "You still hurt her."

I glared at her, but she held strong. She glared right back. I glared harder, and she flinched. I smirked, but she went back to glaring.

"We're giving you five minutes," Nudge said, grabbed Ella's elbow, and dragged her away. I sense an argument going on between the two.

I climbed the stairs to Max's room. I didn't even bother knocking, because I knew she'd either a) throw something at me, b) throw something at me, or c) call me a dick head and throw something at me. All of the options didn't sound too good.

So, I just walked in on her. Without a shirt on. And she was _facing _me this time.

"Shit," I muttered. "Sorry."

"Why?" she asked, her voice hollow. I flinched at the sound of it. "You've seen me without clothes on before, Nick."

I flinched at her using my real name. She had only cause me Nick a few times before, and it sounded odd coming off of her lips, the voice I thought I knew so empty.

"Um . . ." I trailed off, not knowing what to do.

"Well? Out with it," she spat. She reached out and her hand found a stray shirt. She pulled it over her head, and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Before I kill you."

"Max, can you just listen to me?"

"Why listen when I know what I saw?" she asked, her eyes narrowed. I noticed they were red and puffy, like she had been crying. Besides that, they had bags under them, from lack of sleep.

"Because what you didn't see what you think you did." That sounded weird.

"I'm not blind, nor am I insane, Nicholas. I know what I saw."

"Max, I-" I reached for her arm, but she stepped back.

"Don't touch me," she spat.

My arm drifted to my side. "If you would just _listen, _Max_ ._ . ." She didn't say anything, so I took that as a sign to keep going. "I'm leaving tomorrow, Max. I don't want to go without you getting it out of your head that I cheated on you."

"I guess you're leaving without your hope fulfilled," she said.

"I didn't do anything," I said.

"So I've heard. Iggy told me. I still don't believe you."

"I know you don't, Max," I said. "But just try." I ducked my head down and kissed her forehead, without any complaints.

"You can leave now," Ella's voice said behind me. I looked, and she stood glaring at me next to the door. How had she gotten here so silently?

I nodded, walked back to the door, and down stairs.

Max

I laid on my bed, listening to _Over and Over _by Three Days Grace. I think it fit my life right now.

_I feel it everyday  
It's all the same  
It brings me down  
But I'm the one to blame  
I've tried everything to get away  
So here I go again  
Chasing you down again  
Why do I do this?_

_Over and over, over and over  
I fall for you  
Over and over, over and over  
I try not to_

_It feels like everyday stays the same  
It's dragging me down again and I can't pull away  
So here I go again  
Chasing you down again  
Why do I do this?_

_Over and over, over and over  
I fall for you  
Over and over, over and over  
I try not to  
Over and over, over and over  
You make me fall for you  
Over and over, over and over  
You don't even try_

_So many thoughts that I can't even get out of my head  
I try to live without you, everytime I feel so dead  
I know what's best for me  
But I want you instead  
I'll keep on wasting all my time_

_Over and over, over and over  
I fall for you  
Over and over, over and over  
I try not to  
Over and over, over and over  
You make me fall for you  
Over and over, over and over  
You don't even try to . . ._

I rolled onto my side and stared at the wall. Was there a crack in there? Why was the crack growing? The crack in my wall grew upwards, towards the ceiling. It looked like a tree, with it's branches intertwined with each other. It was cracking . . . the room was falling down . . . falling down on top of me . . .

I woke with a start. It was just a dream, just a dream. But _Over and Over _was playing on my iPod. I paused it, and took my ear buds out. A truck rumbled, and I heard tires roll over gravel. I flopped back down onto my bed, and closed my eyes, hoping to get a few more minutes of sleep into my system. About thirty minutes later, three things clicked: One) I wasn't going to sleep any more. Two) Fang had just left for the airport. And three) I still loved him.

Fang

"Are you ready to go?" Anne asked from the front door.

I looked at the stairway to Max's room. She wasn't coming. "Yeah," I replied.

Anne put a hand on my shoulder. "Fang. She still loves you. It's just hard for her. Ya know."

I nodded, but doubted she still loved me. It was hard to believe.

"C'mon," Iggy said beside me. "Youdon't want to miss your flight."

"Yeah, I do," I said.

He sighed. "I know, dude. I know."

I slung my bag over my shoulder and walked out of the front door. We walked to Anne's black SUV (Cliche much?), and the got into the front seat. Iggy took the back, and Anne was driving. Before we completely pulled out of range of the house, I looked back at Max's window. She wasn't looking out.

I closed my eyes and rested my head on the - guess what? - head rest. I was tired, heart broken, and was just ready to get home. See my mom again. Talk to my friends. But it would never feel right without Max. It would all be unbalanced.

They say duct tape fixes everything, but it doesn't fix a broken heart.

A song came onto the radio. It was one of those songs I would usually label 'A sappy, mushy musician singing about his broken heart. Wimp.' but now, it fitted my life.

It was about how the heart doesn't break even. This guy might have a career ahead of him.

I must have fallen asleep to the song, because when I woke up, Iggy was shaking my shoulder.

"C'mon," he said. I rubbed my eyes and slung my black duffel bag over my shoulder.

We were at the gate, and Iggy and I did the hand clasp thing that guys count as hugs.

"E-mail me or something," he said, grinning. "I'll see if I can get Max to."

I smiled. "Thanks, man. That means a lot to me."

"You owe me. Big time."

"Yeah, I know."

Anne said, "Alright. Fang, tell your dad I said hi."

"Will do," I replied.

"And don't give your mom _too _much trouble. I know they have guns in the house." She smiled. "I wouldn't want you to die or anything."

"Got it. No dying."

She gave me a hug, while I just stayed still, shocked by it. She pulled back, and smiled at me.

"Last call for the flight to Colorado," the flight attendant woman said.

"Go on," she and Iggy said at the same time.

I walked to the tarmac. Just before I was about to put my foot into it, alarms started to go off. I turned around, and my jaw practically hit the ground.

It couldn't be . . .

But there she was, blond hair flying after her, feet pounding the ground.

"Fang," she said and launched herself at me, her lips on mine. I wrapped my arms around her waist, and she put her arms on my shoulders. She pulled back slightly, her lips still slightly grazing mine. "I am so sorry. I-"

"No," I said tightening my arms around her waist. "I'm sorry."

"I don't care which one of us is sorry," she replied. "Just kiss me, you bastard."

I grinned and pressed my lips against hers. She kissed me back. It was fantastic.

Someone cleared their throat, and a male voice said, "Ma'am, you're going to have to come with us."

Max pulled back from me, and I opened my eyes. Anne pulled out her F.B.I badge, and flashed it to the airport cop. "I don't think this will be a problem, will it?"

"Ma'am. All suspects of possible terrorist attacks are subject to interrogation."

Max glared at him and said, "Fuck off."

I grinned. That's my Max.

**I had planned on this being the last chapter, but I found that just too cruel. So, instead, there's probably going to be one more chapter.**

**Skid: Whenever you come up with an idea.**

**Me: But I already have an idea.**

**Tank: Uh-huh. Sure you do.**

**Me: I do! JP, do you believe me?**

**JP: No.**

**Me: AHH! You people are impossible!**

**Girl from scary movie three, the good one: I believe you.**

**Me: . . . Really?**

**Good girl gone bad: No! **

**- Sanity trying to deflect attacks from evil girl**


	23. To All a Good Night

**This is **_**THE**_** last chapter of this story. It was posted on Christmas day, twelve o'clock AM. **

**So long, my good story. I've loved you. You rock. The reviewers, lovers, haters, whatever you ares, I love you. The reviews - even the rare bad one - are what kept me going. I loved them, and don't think I gave the reviewers anough credit. Keep 'em coming. I wanna hear what you think of this final chapter. **

**Don't like my ending? Too bad.**

**PS: I know you can't even have as much of a parking ticket to get into the FBI, but this is fiction, after all.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anyone besides Derek.**

One Year Later

I waited by the luggage Ferris wheel, going from the balls of my feet to my heels, and doing it again. I was super excited. I hadn't seen him in a year. Sure, we had talked over the phone, e-mailed, yada yada, but it's been a _year _since I've really seen him.

"Waiting for me?" a voice asked behind me.

I whirled around, and a huge smile broke out on my face. "Fang!"

He grinned and gathered me in his arms. I hugged him just as tightly, squeezing the breath out of him."I missed you," he said into my hair, without whatever hair he had left.

"Me too," I replied. I noticed how he had grown a few inches. I had grown about one. He pulled back and came down for a kiss, but I stopped him by putting my pointer finger on his lips. He raised an eyebrow, obviously thinking, _I haven't seen you in a year, and refuse to even kiss me? How fucked up is that?_

"The last time I kissed you in an airport, you left me, and I got interrogated for being a possible terrorist. Is that going to happen again?" Well, it was true. I was released ten hours later. And they didn't give me any food!

He grinned, and looked from side to side. "No airport police guards . . . you're coming home with me . . . and there's a truck waiting outside for both of us."

I smiled. "Well then. I guess you can have your kiss." I got on my tip-toes and pressed my lips to his. He eagerly accepted the kiss, tightening his arms around my waist.

I remembered we were in an airport when people starting saying things like, 'Get a room!' 'He's cute.' 'Dude. How did he land _her_?' and others that I don't think would be acceptable in a PG-13 movie.

I untangled a hand from Fang's hair and shot everyone in a near-by area the bird. I mean, c'mon! I hadn't touched my boyfriend in a year, and they want to complain about it? There were no longer any complaints of our P.D.A. But I swear I heard someone say, 'This is a total turn on.'

We pulled apart, me smiling, and him grinned. Fang laced his fingers through mine, and I allowed him to slightly pull me outside.

And let meh tell ya. It was freaking _cold _for someone in jeans, combat boots, a dark blue long sleeve t-shirt, and really short hair. I had chopped it all off soon after Fang left, and kept up the chopping. It was still as wild and spiky, despite how it was in a usual spot now a days.

"How do you survive this?" I asked Fang, wrapping my arms around myself.

"Oh, c'mon," he said, pulling the black beenie off of his head and shoving it on mine. "It's not that cold." We got into the truck, and the heater washed over me. Yes!

I raised an eyebrow. "Seriously? This isn't that cold?"

He nodded, chuckling.

"Where's the Iganator?" I asked. He, Nudge, Gazzy, Angel, Ella, and Anne had come about two weeks before me. I had business to take care of.

"Probably making out with Nudge," he replied.

"Ah," I said. We sat in comfortable silence for a while.

"How did your art selling thingy-majig go?" Fang asked, breaking the comfortable silence.

"Oh, yeah. It was cool," I said. "And boring."

"Isn't all art?" he asked teasingly.

I shoved his shoulder. "Jackass."

"Aw. I thought I was a bastard," he said in fake sadness. "I was really starting to like that title."

"Uh-huh. Sure you were."

Maybe I should explain?: Before Fang had gone home - bastard/jackass - I had placed in the art contest. My painting was put on display in the museum in Phoenix, along with two others. I had gotten second place, a girl named Nyloc had gotten first, and His Douchiness (Yes, I'm still using his nickname. It's funny when he makes that face when I call him it. *snicker snicker* It looks like he's constipated.) had taken third place. Some of the art buyers people had wanted more. And that's my job now. I paint/draw what I want, then sell it. I'm making quite a bit of money, too. That was the business I had that delayed my arrival in Colorado, (I almost strangled Anne when she said I had to stay behind for the art thing. I still don't like her.) where I was going to meet Fang's family.

"What if your parent's hate me?" I asked and crossed my arms in front of my chest. Since when do I care about what people think about me? But this is the love of my life's family, and I really wanted them to like me for some reason.

Fang looked at me for a second, then turned his eyes back to the road. "No one could hate you."

"Sure. It's easy," I said and started to flick his ear, while saying, "Hating me now, hating me now, hating me now."

"Max, I'm driving," he said, chuckling.

I stopped flicking his ear. "Fine. But only because there's a possibility you could KILL US ALL!" I said over dramatically, putting a hand on my forehead like I was about to faint.

Fang rolled his eyes. "You are so over dramatic."

"And that's why you love me," I said, smiling.

"Uh-huh, sure it is."

My smile widened and I leaned back and closed my eyes. "I'm gonna *yawn* sleep a little." I fell asleep to Fang's rubbing my back.

Later

"Maax . . . wake up . . ." Fang's voice coaxed me out of dream-la-la land.

"Go away," I grumbled, and tried to roll over. I then remembered I was in a truck when my face hit door.

"Max, we're here," he said.

I was immediately awake, hyped up with nerves. "I'm up!" I exclaimed, and drowsily sat up in my seat.

"Good," Fang said, grinning. "Now might be a good time to get out of the car."

I glared at him, and opened the truck door. I hopped out, pulling my duffel bag with me. Geez. This reminds me of when Fang first came to Arizona. But the house didn't look much like mine. It was a cute little two story, painted a dark red, and white-ish egg-ish whatever-ish shutters.

"Whatchya think?" Fang asked, putting an arm around my shoulders.

I smiled. "It's cute."

"Cute?" he asked. "Wait until you see all the family members we manage to cram inside."

He was right. It was tightly packed. There were people all over the place. But we made a bee line for where he said his mother usually was at this time of the year. The kitchen.

Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner! His mom, Haley (Fang told me. He's a informative little bugger.), had light brown hair and hazel eyes. When we walked in, she turned towards me.

"You must be Max," she said, smiling warmly.

"Yep, that's me," I said, smiling back. We shook hands.

"You're a very beautiful young lady, Max," she said. "Nick here told me you were pretty, but that doesn't cover it."

I blushed. You got that right. BLUSHED. "Thanks," I replied, looking down at my feet.

"Um, mom?" Fang said, noticing my uncomfort. "We're going to put Max's stuff up, m'kay?"

His mom eyed us, then smiled, like she knew exactly what was going on in his mind. "Behave, Nicholas."

Yep. That just happen. It was so freaking embarrassing, and slightly awesome at the same time.

Fang coughed, trying to cover his blush, and I snickered. "Mom . . ."

"Go ahead," she said, and turned back to whatever she was chopping.

We exited the kitchen, which was filled with delicious smelling foods, and back into the crowded living room, which held the smells of many different people. I liked the food more.

We walked through the living room, where many people introduced themselves. I'm not even going to mention them all, because you probably won't remember all of the names, so yeah. Iggy, Nudge, Ella, Angel, and Gazzy were enjoying the snow with some of the younger kids, apparently, so we didn't see them.

Finally - and when I saw finally, I mean finally - we were in Fang's room. It was like any other room - a bed, a dresser, a closet, and a desk with a lap top on it. But I wasn't really paying attention to that, now was I?

Iggy

We were having a grand 'ol time in the backyard of Fang's house. There was snow EVERYWHERE. It was awesome.

Right now, Nudge and I were having a snowball fight. I packed my hands with snow and threw it at her. If it was possible to glare and smile at the same time, she managed it. She threw a snow ball at me, and I ran towards her. She did that play scream that said, 'You're not really going to hurt me, but I'm scared you will anyways.' You know the one.

I caught up with her, and hugged her from behind, lifting her off the ground. She laughed and said, "Let me go!"

"Not happenin'," I said and spun her around, making her laugh. "You know what? You're pretty heavy, so . . ." I set her down, and she turned around and slapped my arm.

"I'm not that heavy!" she said, glaring at me.

"No, you're not," I said, smirking. "You're heavier."

She sucked in a breath, glared at me, and threw snow in my face. In case you didn't know, snow is cold. I don't like having snow in my face. Would you like having snow in your face? Nope, didn't think so.

Just when I was about to throw another snowball at Nudge, one hit me in the back of my head. I turned around to find Max snickering. Her face was pink, and I could tell it wasn't from the cold.

I raised an eyebrow. "Where did you come from?"

"I thought you knew this, Iggy," she said, shaking her head to mock me even further. "When a man and a woman love each other very much-"

"Like you and Fang?" Ella asked, and I could hear the smirk in her voice.

"Oh, shut up, Ella," Max said, but she was red now.

"Max!" Angel said and ran to Max. "I missed you!"

"I missed you too, Ange," Max said and kissed Angel's cheek.

"Careful," I said. "We don't know where that mouth's been."

Max glared at me, and I flinched. (Yep. My man card is officially being taken away.) "That's disgusting."

"It is, Iggy," Fang said, coming beside Max.

I shrugged. "I can't help what my brain comes up with."

Max smiled. "Good to see ya, Ig."

"You too, Max," I said.

We said our hellos to Max, and the girls disappeared into the house, Max with them. So it was me, Fang, Gazzy, and a few of Fang's cousins or friends or whomevesr.

"Dude," one of them, I think his name was Derek, said to me,"your sister is hot."

Fang glared at him, and so did I. Blunt much?

"What?" he asked. "I'm just stating the obvious."

Another one said, "And Fang is as whipped as can be."

I snickered. "Yes he is."

"_He _is right here," Fang said. "And he isn't deaf."

"We know," I said,and stuffed my hands into my pockets. "Is there food?"

Fang shrugged. "Dunno."

"I'm going find out," I said and walked out of the yard and into the house.

Max

"So, Max," Nick said. (Not Fang, Nick. Fang's dad.)

"So, Nick," I said and took a sip of some of my hot chocolate, and a bite of cookie. Almost as good as mom's, but not quite.

"Fang tells me you've been arrested," he finally said.

"I have," I replied. "Several times . . . and have been interrogated for being a possible terrorist."

"Interesting," Nick said and took a bite of his cookie. Right now, we were both in the kitchen. Everyone else was asleep or at a hotel or at their house. I hadn't been able to sleep, so I came down to eat something. And now here I am. Talking to Fang's dad. Nick.

"Hmm . . ." I said and took another sip of hot chocolate. Nick made it, and damn it was good.

"You know, a lot of great FBI agents have been arrested sometime in their life. Minor crimes, of course," he said finally.

I raised an eyebrow. "Are you trying to recruit me to being a FBI agent?"

"Yes and no," he said. "My son would probably want to kill me for even mentioning the possibility."

"He probably would," I said. Over protective Fang.

"But you're probably more than qualified, and can make your own choices. What were you planning on doing for a living, anyway?" he asked, sounding genuinely curious.

I shrugged. "Paint, draw. Arty stuff, I guess."

"Well, a lot of artists aren't recognized until they're dead," he said.

"Are you planning on killing me to make a fortune off of my already existing paintings and drawings?" I asked, smirking.

He chuckled. "No. I'm just saying you shouldn't lean on your art talents to get you through life."

I nodded, understanding.

"I've seen the drawings you gave Fang," Nick said. "They're . . . amazing. Almost like a picture. But like I already said, a lot of artists aren't recognized until they're dead."

"I know," I said. "But doesn't it take, like, forever to get into the FBI?"

He grinned. "Not if you know the right people."

I smiled into my hot chocolate. If I drank any more, I'd get the nasty grainy stuff from the bottom. "I'll think about it." I got up and put the cup in the sink.

I was about to wash it, when Nick said, "I'll get that. You go back to sleep."

"Thanks," I said, and exited the kitchen. I padded down the hall (That always makes me think of an insane asylum.) and up the stairs. I walked into Fang's room and walked over to the bed, where an awake Fang laid. Without a shirt on. Mmmmm.

"Did I wake you?" I asked and brushed some jet-black hair out of his face.

Fang shook his head and hugged my waist. He nuzzled my neck, and I turned around and kissed him.

"I missed you so much," he whispered, barely parting his lips from mine.

"Ditto," I replied. I traced the muscles on his arm and he shivered, making me smile a little bit.

"I'm tired," I said. Even though I wasn't . . .

"Hmmm," he replied, kissing me so lightly it felt more like a feather than his lips. "You're lying."

"No," I said. How could he always tell?

"Yeah, you are," he replied, and I could hear the small smile in his voice. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I said. "I'm just tired."

"I thought we went over this," Fang said.

I shrugged. "Just let me sleep."

"Are you mad at me?" he asked.

"Why would I be mad at you?"

"I dunno," Fang said.

"Just let me sleep."

"You know I can't do that," he said and tickled my stomach.

I giggled. Yep. Giggled. I'm ticklish, alright?

"Fang *giggle* stop it," I whispered. "We're gonna wake *giggle* someone up."

"Then tell me what's wrong," he negotiated.

"Nothing's wrong," I said, which wasn't a lie. "I'm just tired."

He stopped tickling me. "Alright. But at least let me tell you something?"

I sighed and squinted in the darkness, trying to make out his face. I had a little luck. "What is it?"

I could hear the grin in his voice when he said, "Merry Christmas." I looked at the clock on the bedside table. It read twelve-thirty.

I smiled, and kissed him. "Goodnight, Fang."

He sighed and tightened his arms around my waist. I didn't protest.

Of course, my life isn't perfect. would you like to hear the pros and cons of my life? Why, of course you do.

Pros: I have Fang, Angel, my family. I have a possible future in the FBI, Fang's family is really nice. I have my art talent. My _life_. A house, a bed, someone to share it with, a phone, food, and everything else that can't be put on paper.

Cons: We still don't know who took Angel, I have a possible future in the FBI, Fang's family is so nice it makes you want to slap them. There's always going to be someone making fun of my name (*cough* Iggy, Nick *cough*), and Lissa hates my guts.

. . . Meh. It evens out. My life isn't perfect. It's practically some cliche book or fan fiction (Why do those words end shivers uo my spine?). But it's my life, and there ain't nothing you can do about it. Not that I would want to do anything with it.

And merry Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight.


End file.
